


A Warrior, a Songbird and The Undead.

by Walker_Dundee



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Older Man/Younger Woman, Prison, Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-26
Updated: 2018-09-04
Packaged: 2018-09-26 23:10:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 66
Words: 164,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9928202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Walker_Dundee/pseuds/Walker_Dundee
Summary: Beth Greene believed she would always be seen as a fragile farm girl, always needing protection but when a run goes bad, a dashing soldier comes into her life and her entire world changes...





	1. Chapter 1

She was scared and exhausted but she couldn’t stop, gritting her teeth as branches hit her face. She could hear the snarls and groans behind her, they were still following her and would until they finally caught her.  
She turned her head and groaned as she saw the number of walkers after her. It was a dangerous number, far more than her weapon less self could handle. Her heart hammered in her chest and she forced her self to run faster. A noise from her left caught her attention and a walker burst from the bushes, almost grabbing her. she would have screamed but her lungs felt like they were on fire and screaming would not help her.  
Suddenly the ground rushed up to meet her as her foot caught in a tree root and she sprawled heavily in the dirt. She tried to get up, whipping her head round to check where the walkers were and a scream escaped from her lips as they surrounded her and she waited for the end… 

 

Beth Greene woke to a warm Georgian morning, spring was ending and a hot summer lay ahead. She stretched and rolled under her sheet, not wanting get up, she couldn’t kick the strange feeling she had and wondered what the day had in store for her. She finally got up, pulled on her jeans and fixed her hair. She sighed, the feeling still there, she realised she wasn’t happy but she couldn’t mull on her thoughts as Rick walked into her cell and placed Judith in her arms.  
“Oh, morning Rick” she said a little flatly.  
“She’s a bit fussy today” Rick said simply and he walked off before she could reply.  
“Oh, ok” she whispered to herself and walked the mess to get Judith’s formula, while rocking and humming to the baby girl. She smiled at everyone in the mess but no one stopped to talk her, only Carol, to see how Judith was. Beth felt herself invisible and lonely at most time as the adults went about their usual daily business. She wished she had someone to really talk to, but no one paid her no mind still treating her as the fragile farm girl. There were a few in the group round her age but they weren’t her type of people. She did have Maggie and her father and she was still close to Carl but her father was always occupied with council business, Maggie had Glenn and Carl was too busy playing farmer. She sighed, resigned to her fate as just Judith’s baby sitter. She looked up as Daryl and Rick came through with their gear, preparing for a run. Maggie also walked in and Beth could tell she just had some alone time with Glenn. Beth wondered if she would ever find that happiness and sighed again. A voice pulled her from her thoughts to see Daryl and smiled.  
“Hows my little ass kicker?” asked Daryl, Judith cooed and wrapped a finger around his finger.  
“She’s fine now, you guys going on a run?” she asked making conversation.  
Daryl merely grunted a yes but more interested in Judith and Beth’s smile slightly faded. He nodded at her and walked off. Beth decided enough was enough, she needed to do something. She walked over to Maggie who smiled, her sister may still treat her like a kid but at least she talked to her.  
“Hey Beth what's up?” she asked.  
“I need to do somethin’ Maggie” said Beth.  
“Huh what do ya mean?” she asked, confused.  
“I’m bored Maggie, I don’t wanna be just Judith’s babysitter, I wanna help in other ways” Beth replied.  
“Why you’re so good with her and you are helping” Maggie smiled and patted Beth’s arm.  
“I know that, but I need something else to do, something more” she continued, trying to get her point across.  
“Well, what would you like to do?” asked Maggie.  
“I wanna go on the run” Beth replied and Maggie looked up in shock into her sisters eyes.  
“No, not happening” Maggie firmly stated.  
By now Daryl and Rick had walked back in the mess and overheard the conversation, Beth saw them gave each other a look as the exchange between the two Greene girls fired up, Beth knew the two of them had seen the two at each others throats many times before and usually the older one would win in the end, but this time Beth wasn’t backing down.  
“Sorry Beth, not happening” repeated Maggie more sharply.  
“What’s going on?” Rick asked as the two sisters stared at each other.  
Beth bit her lip and looked at the two men while Judith still cooed in her arms.  
“I wanna come on a run with with you guys, I wanna help” Beth explained.  
“Might be good for her to get out, train her up a bit” drawled Daryl, looking at Rick then Maggie.  
Beth smiled at Daryl, but still a little pissed he had pretty much ignored her just before.  
“Please I wanna help, I’ll be good, Rick and Daryl will protect me and show me what to do” she pleaded.  
“I don’t know Beth its dangerous out there” counted Rick.  
“I know but still want to help, I can help you know” Beth pleaded.  
“She’ll stay close us, we wont let anything happen” said Daryl.  
Maggie was torn by the look on Beth’s face, Daryl’s reasoning and the need to keep her sister safe.  
“It’s all right Maggie, Beth will be fine with Rick and Daryl” said a soft voice behind them and Hershel limped into the room.  
“Daddy, she is just a kid” Maggie pleaded, and Beth thought her tone was a little patronising.  
“I’m not a kid, you just think I am” Beth squeaked.  
“Beth you’re only 17, tell her daddy”  
“So?, I’ll be eighteen soon” Beth snapped back.  
“I know she is still young but she needs to learn, and we need more people on runs”  
“I don’t know about this daddy” Maggie replied still sounding uneasily.  
“Maggie I know you are just looking out for me but I need to to this..please” she begged, pining her sister with hopeful look.  
“Ok Beth, ok” Maggie conceded.  
Beth smiled at her sister, she could tell Maggie still didn’t want her to go but she was outvoted.  
“Ok its settled Beth will come on the run, but just this one for now, go organise your gear, we’ll head out soon” Rick ordered  
Beth’s face lit up again and she fought to hold in her excitement as she passed Judith to Maggie and ran to get her stuff ready.  
A hour later and Beth was in a an suv with Rick, Daryl and Ty as they dove towards the town Rick and the others had chosen to search. Beth smiled as she felt the wind in her face from the open window and whipping through her hair. She waved her hand through the wind, she was excited but there was a little fear as well.  
“So what’s the town like?” she asked.  
“Nothin’ special, full of walkers last time, but we need the supplies” Daryl grunted.  
“Oh ok” she said softly.  
“There is a supermarket and a gun store, if they haven’t been completely picked clean yet” said Ty.  
As soon as they got to the town, they spotted a few walkers but not a dangerous amount and pulled their cars into the car park of the supermarket. Beth nervously stepped out, gripped the knife in its sheath on her belt, hoping she wouldn’t have to use it, she had asked for a gun but Rick had flat out refused.  
“Ok guys lets make this quick, grab only what we need” ordered Rick as they quietly approached the entrance. Daryl stayed watch outside, picking off some off the walkers that had followed them up the street. Ty smacked his hammer at the door of the supermarket and after a few moments, no walkers appeared and they entered.  
The inside of the supermarket was dingy and half lit by only the light from the front windows and from holes in the ceiling.  
“Alright pick an aisle, um Beth did you want to get these items?” Rick asked her handing her a list. It contained a number a feminine products that Rick obviously didn’t want to deal with.  
“Yeah sure Rick” knowing she was only given the list because of her gender.  
She found the beauty section and feminine hygiene section, sighed softly and began throwing what she could find on the list into her pack. She stared at the some other products and thought back to before the turn when she wouldn’t have thought twice about buying them, maybe a tube of lip gloss, nail polish or a compact of make up. Now she had no use for them, no one to pretty herself up for, well that wasn’t true, there was Zach, but he was a little too cocky for her liking and she knew he would only be after one thing. Rick came up behind her and Beth shuffled on quickly, embarrassed.  
“Hey Rick I think we better wrap it up there are a lot more walkers coming up the street, too many to handle.” said Ty coming from the entrance.  
“Ok, Beth grab as much as you can and lets get out of here” Rick ordered.  
Beth nodded but noticed a closed door with the words ‘store manager’ on it and her curiosity got the better of her.  
She opened the door and gasped in shock as a dozen or so walkers had been trapped in the room behind the door, now free, proceeded to stumble out, their rotting arms out stretched. Beth tripped backwards and knocked over a display case which crashed into a shelf of wine bottles.  
“Beth get out of there” yelled Rick firing his pistol and taking out one of walkers as they piled through the door.  
The walkers kept coming, undaunted and hungry for fresh meat. The walkers divided, some heading for rick but the majority focused on her. There were far two many to fight and she threw Rick a frightened look as they forced her towards the back of the store and further away from safety.  
“Beth run” Rick yelled, tangled with a walker.  
She had no option but to and she ran heading for back of the store. A large double door with emergency exit written on it loomed ahead and she burst through and found herself out in the blinding sun on a loading dock behind the supermarket.  
Beth’s heart froze and her breath caught in her chest, the dock was filled with walkers, who all turned at her appearance.  
Several of the walkers close to her lunged at her and more began stumbling in her direction, while others poured out from the open door she had just ran through. Beth was starting to panic, she heard gunshots and the sound of an engine. She weighed her options, she was blocked off from the store and she couldn’t stay here any longer, so she started running. she dodged walkers and run for the woods behind the building, hoping to regroup with the others..


	2. Chapter 2

The morning sun greeted former Corporal Maxwell Knight as he packed up his small ‘camp’ he had set up in a picnic area by a river. It hadn’t been first class but his vehicle had provided more than ample protection for the night from biters and when Max awoke there wasn’t one in sight. Max rolled up his sleeping bag, sleeping mat and grabbed his pillow and stacked them on the only empty seat. He made himself a quick breakfast from his decent stash of freeze dried food, today it was apple maple cereal with powered milk. It tasted ok enough but he missed the days of fresh milk. After finishing off his breakfast he needed to get moving, he cleared up and climbed into the drivers seat of his massive military vehicle, an Australian built armored personal carrier called a ‘Bushmaster’ He fired up the engine and headed down the road, wondering what he would find.  
After a few hours he came across the out skirts of a town. It looked just the same as all the other towns he had ‘visited’ in the last few months, the empty streets and houses full of disrepair and filled with decay. He sighed, wondered if he would find anyone alive today, he hadn’t seen anyone for weeks and last ones he had come across hadn’t been friendly.  
The last year since the turn had been tough on the thirty year old but he had survived despite the odds. He had been protecting dignitaries at the Australian embassy, a cushy job by his standards when the dead starting coming back to life. His unit tried their best but to no avail, the embassy fell within days. Taking as many survivors as possibly, Max and his unit bugged out, but unable to return home they took refuge in the ambassadors house for a few weeks before it was overrun.  
With only Max and three of his unit surviving, they left DC looking for safety. They found a group of survivors outside the city and a set up with them for months before his commanding officer decided he would be a better leader of the group and a vicious fire fight broke out, decimating the camp, leaving Max the only one alive. With no mission and no one left to protect, he had travelled south through the southern states, moving from town to town avoiding larger areas and cities.  
He turned down a wooded road and noticed a building with the words Tony’s repairs painted in large letters. Max pulled his vehicle into its parking lot and shut down the engine. He grabbed his assault rifle, pulled his 6”2’ frame out of the cab and stepped to the ground. He scanned for the area for biters but didn’t detect any dangers, he relaxed but still stayed vigilant. He made sure a round was chambered in his trusty assault rifle and carefully entered through the only open roller shutter door. It was dimly lit inside and smelt strongly of machine oil. He switched on the flash light mounted on his rifles barrel and quickly swept it through the workshop. The light played across the almost empty building and nothing reacted to it.  
Satisfied, Max returned to the Bushmaster and drove it into the garage, parking it inside. He rolled the shutter down sealing them inside and began to search the garage. The business had small break area for its long gone employees, including two comfy looking couches but the rest of the building yielded not much else but he did find a drum of gasoline which would prove very useful.  
The garage was a far better sanctuary than the last few places, warm and secure and sure beat sleeping in the Bushmaster, he would chose a couch over the hard floor of the APC any day.  
Max grabbed a bag from the bushmaster and opened the small door leading outside. The garage would provide ample protection but he needed to make sure there weren’t any surprises during the night, ensuring a good nights sleep. He approached the chain link fence that surrounded the building and placed the bag down by the gate. Opening the bag, he pulled a flash bang grenade and a loop of wire. He planned to use the grenade as warning system, running a trip wire in front of the closed gate, so that if someone did come snooping, they would set off the flash bang and alert Max. He also planned to set a few more for good measure but before he could he snapped his head up at a sound coming through the woods.  
It was the distinct sound of someone running, and the groans of biters. The footsteps and groans were getting closer, very close. Max sprang up, his rifle at the ready, pushed his way through the gate and heading in the direction of the sounds.  
He ran as fast as he could and burst into a small clearing. There lying on the ground was a teen girl and a dozen biters advancing on her position. The girl seemed to be in pain and was weapon less. Max acted on instinct, raising his rifle he quickly took them all down . Max ran up to the girl, who looked at him in confusion then backed away.  
“Whoa easy there” soothed Max, letting his rifle fall against its strap and held out his hands.  
Max could see the fear in her eyes, but this was not the place to gain her trust, he could hear more biters coming.  
“Look I know you are scared, I’m not going to hurt you but we need to get out of here” he explained to the girl and held out his hand.  
The girl nodded and took Max’s offered hand and he pulled her to her feet..


	3. Chapter 3

Beth was scared, exhausted and she had been running for hours. The sun would be setting soon and she knew she had to find a safe place soon. She could still hear the snarls and groans behind her, they were still following her.   
She was incredibly lost, she had planned to hide in the woods but she had found it full of walkers and had to keep running, every step distancing her self from the group.   
A walker burst from the bushes to her left almost grabbing her. She avoided it and kept running her lungs felt like they were on fire and her lips were dry and cracked from thirst. she knew she would have to find a place to stop soon or she would drop from exhaustion.  
She should have paid more attention to where she was going because the ground suddenly rushed up to meet her as her foot caught in a tree root and she sprawled heavily in the dirt. She struggled to get to her feet before the walkers reached her But before they could, several of them collapsed. She spun to see a tall powerfully built man, clad in a military vest and carrying a large assault rifle rushed up to her. Beth’s breath caught in her chest and she backed away from him.  
The man stopped in response and held out his hands in surrender, Beth relaxed slightly, he could be friend but in this new world she knew people were more dangerous than the walkers.  
“Look I know you are scared, I’m not going to hurt you but we need to get out of here” he said softly in a strange accent she couldn’t place.  
Beth nodded and she took his offered hand and she found her self looking into his dazzling green eyes that seemed to radiate calm and control and let him pull her to her feet.   
“Can you walk?” he asked concerned in his voice.  
Her ankle did hurt but it didn’t feel broken or sprained she tested some weight on it and it seemed fine.  
“Yeah um I think so” she stammered her voice horse.  
“Ok I have a safe place not far from here”  
She nodded and he began heading back the way he came from. They walked quickly for a few minutes or so until they came to a empty road and tried her best to keep up with him but her ankle was more bruised than she thought and pain began shooting up her leg.   
“Um I think I need to stop” she said softly.  
The man paused and she expected him be annoyed but he just looked concerned and gave her a reassuring smile that put her strangely at ease.  
“It’s ok we are pretty close” he said and pointing to an auto mechanic garage a little way down the road.  
“Think you can make it there?”  
She nodded, it wasn’t far and wanted to prove to her self and to him that she could.   
“If not I can carry you if you like” he offered.  
Beth was startled by the offer, she didn’t trust him enough for him to touch her and she shook her violently. She regretted it instantly wondering if she had offended him but he didn’t seem bothered.  
“Ok but offer still stands” he smiled.   
She didn’t need it as they quickly reached the garage and slipped through the gate. The man said something she didn’t quite catch and she looked up to see him looking at her and for some strange reason she found herself blushing under his gaze.  
“sorry?”  
“I said we will be safe here”  
“Oh” she replied.  
The inside of the building was what she would expect from a mechanics garage, except for the large imposing looking military vehicle taking up most of the space.  
“How is the ankle?” he asked   
“Um ok I think” she replied turning back to him  
“Alright how bout we take a look at it?”   
He led her into a glassed off area which functioned as an small employee break area complete with a kitchen and two couches.   
“You must be thirsty?”  
Beth had forgotten all about that, she actually very dehydrated and at that point could have drank a river and nodded politely.  
He reached into a cooler and retrieved a bottle of water and handed it to her. She opened it and as the surprisingly cool water hit her lips she began swigging it down.  
“Whoa easy there, slowly just take sips or you’ll make you self sick” he cautioned.  
Beth stopped and did as he said, drinking the cool sweet liquid more slowly and she didn’t think she had a better drink of water in her life.  
He motioned her to one of the empty couches, she sat on it and found it surprisingly comfy. she began to relax now knowing she was far more safer than she was half an hour ago.  
“So now how bout we properly introduce our selves, hi I’m Maxwell Knight” he said crouching in front of her and holding out his hand again.  
Beth took it and shook it, blushing as she took the moment to study her new rescuer/companion. He had short brown hair and a small beard encompassing his boyish face and she guessed he was maybe mid to late twenties. She couldn’t help notice the muscles underneath his shirt and the muscles in his arms. His eyes seemed to pierce through her and he was very handsome all together.   
“So do you have a name?” he asked with a small smile.  
“Oh um yeah I’m Beth, Beth Greene”


	4. Chapter 4

Max studied the girl, despite her exhausted and scared condition the girl was exceptionally pretty. She had long blonde hair pulled into a side ponytail and the deepest blue eyes, her tank top revealed her smooth pale skin and she stood maybe a foot shorter than him. Her entire appearance threw Max off, not just that she was pretty but that she didn’t look like she had been surviving alone, which meant she most likely had been separated from her group and had a camp or sanctuary somewhere. But that would have to be sorted out later first he had to get them back to the garage.  
“Can you walk?” he asked, concerned she might not be able to.  
“Yeah um I think so” she stammered after testing her ankle.  
“Ok I have a safe place not far from here”  
He began walking back towards the garage but not to fast, her ankle wouldn’t be able to take a fast pace. To her credit she kept up with him until she she needed to stop he gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile and told her they weren't far.  
“If not I can carry you if you like” he offered  
She seemed spooked by the idea and shook her head, Max understood, they didn’t know each other yet and smiled and told her the offer was there if she needed it but they reached the garage without needing to carry her.  
“We’ll be safe here” he said as he held the gate open for her  
The girl didn’t reply and she actuality blushed when she looked up at him.  
“sorry?” she asked.  
“I said we will be safe here” he replied  
“Oh” she said softly as Max open the door of the garage.  
A small smile appeared lighting up her face, he felt a strange stirring inside him and tried his best not to stare at the girl but was fighting a losing battle. The girl was the prettiest thing had seen in a while, and if he was being honest with himself the most beautiful girl had had ever met. But she couldn’t be more than sixteen and more than off limits to a man his age and she certainly didn’t need a guy she had just met under turbulent circumstances drooling over her. He composed himself, and led her to the garages brake area, he needed to check her ankle and get her hydrated. It was then he realised he had know idea what her name was and should find out.  
“You must be thirsty?” he asked.  
She nodded and Max opened his cooler and pulled out a bottle of water, handing it to her. She took it gratefully and began immediately gulping it down.  
“Whoa easy there, slowly just take sips or you’ll make you self sick”  
The girl blushed and drank more slowly and he watched her as she was almost savoring the water. He waved her to sit down and crouched in front of her as she did. He introduce himself, she took a moment to answer and he had a strange feeling it was because she was checking him out.  
Her name was Beth, Beth a pretty name for a pretty girl but there was no way he was going to tell her that. He quickly turned his attention to her ankle before things got awkward.  
“Well Beth how bout we take care of that ankle?”  
She nodded and pulled her boot off, wincing in pain as she did  
Max carefully took her foot his his hand and examined it, the tell tale signs of bruising were there but he gathered that’s all it was, seeing as how she was able to walk back.  
“Hmm I think its just bruised, you should be back to normal in the morning”  
The girl nodded, and Max grabbed a bandage from his med kit and began to wrap her ankle. 

 

Beth was still a little shaken from what happened, but was relieved that her new companion had saved her, not wanting to think about if he hadn’t come along when he did. She knew she shouldn’t have go on the run, she overestimated herself and was still the little girl everyone thought she was. Maggie is gonna love this she thought and also wondered what her father would think if she ever made it back, probably never let her leave the prison again most likely.  
“There we go” Max announced as he finished wrapping her ankle.  
“Thank you” she said  
“No worries happy to do it” he responded.  
His accent was maddening her and she needed to know where he was from, she wanted to know more about this gorgeous stranger she was alone with.  
“Um where are you from Max?” she asked.  
“Confused about the accent are you? He asked smiling, and she nodded shyly.  
“Well I hail from the land down under, a little place called Australia” he explained  
“You’re an Australian?” she asked.  
“Yes mam, born and raised” he replied.  
“That’s so cool I’ve never met an aussie before, and you’re a soldier?”  
“Yep I’m former Australian special air service regiment”  
“Oh?” she said confused.  
“Its kinda like your navy seals” he explained.  
“Oh ok”  
There a silence fell between them but Beth felt like they both seemed to be getting more comfortably in each others company.  
“Beth I gathered you haven’t been out there alone have you?” he asked braking the silence.  
“No I was with a group we were gathering supplies at a supermarket and I got separated from them” she replied  
“Gathering supplies? were you moving around or do you have a camp and a bigger group somewhere?” he asked.  
Beth knew she could trust him and decided to tell him about the prison.  
“Yeah I’m from a group set up at a prison”  
“ A prison really?, Is it far from here?”  
“Um I’m not sure, I don’t even known where I am now” she said truthfully, her voice cracking.  
She could feel her self about to cry, would she ever see her family again? She couldn’t expect him to take her back even if the could locate the prison and she wiped the tears leaking from her eyes.  
“Hey hey it’s ok” he soothed.  
“I’m sorry I’m not really cut out for this, I thought a could be stronger I should have just stayed at the prison, they probably think I’m dead” she cried, wringing her hands and looking at the floor  
“Hey come on that can’t be true”  
“I’m not strong like the rest of the group and I wanted to prove that but I guess I’ll always needed to be saved, another dead girl walking”  
Max fixed her with a sympathetic look and lay his hand softly on hers, she stopped trembling as his touch sent a new feeling through her.  
“Beth listen I just met you but you seem plenty strong to me” he said  
“You’re just sayin that” she said quietly, not believing him.  
“Beth I saw you outrun a pack of biters and then walk back here on a bruised ankle, even refusing to be carried” he said with conviction in his voice.  
Though knowing he was just trying to cheer her up his words struck a chord with her and found herself smiling at him and really did begin to cheer up.  
“You’re really sweet” she told him  
“Well I don’t think I’ve been called sweet before but I’ll take it” he grinned  
Beth blushed and giggled, her stomach then rumbled and she realised she hadn’t eaten since that morning which seemed like a life ago.  
“Um Max do you have any food?” she asked  
“Yeah shit sorry where the fuck are my manners, you must be starving right?” he said with a slight embarrassed look on his face.  
“I’m a little hungry  
“Its sorted then lets make some dinner”..


	5. Chapter 5

Max finished wrapping her ankle, being very careful not to touch her inappropriately. She thanked him and then asked him where he was from shyly and he explained his background.  
“You’re an Australian?” she asked interestedly and Max liked the way she said Australian in her own cute southern accent.  
“yes mam, born and raised”  
“That’s so cool I’ve never met an aussie before, and you’re a soldier?” she asked  
“Yep I’m former Australian special air service regiment” he replied  
“Oh” she said, her nose crinkling up in confusion, obviously never having heard of the SAS before  
“Its kinda like your navy seals” he explained.  
“Oh ok” she said her eyes lightning up, understanding.  
Max could have stayed here forever talking with this girl and not just because it was the first real conversation with someone in ages.  
“Beth I gathered you haven’t been out there alone have you?” he asked her.  
“No I was with a group we were gathering supplies at a supermarket and I got separated from them” she answered.  
“Gathering supplies? Were you moving around or do you have a camp and a bigger group somewhere?”  
“Yeah I’m from a group set up at a prison”  
So she did have a group out there and holed up in a prison no less, a prison meant fences and walls, guaranteed safety.  
“ A prison really?, Is it far from here?” he asked  
“Um I’m not sure, I don’t even know where I am now” she said, Max heard a little sob in her voice and tears began to well in her eyes.  
“Hey hey it’s ok” he soothed  
“I’m sorry I’m not really cut out for this, I thought a could be stronger I should have just stayed at the prison, they probably think I’m dead” she cried, wringing her hands and looking at the floor  
“Hey come on that can’t be true”  
“I’m not strong like the rest of the group and I wanted to prove that but I guess I’ll always needed to be saved, another dead girl walking”  
Max fixed her with a sympathetic look and lay his hand softly on hers, she seemed to stop trembling. She was just a scared young woman pushed beyond her limits, separated from the people she trusted.  
“Beth listen I just met you but you seem plenty strong to me” he told her.  
“You’re just sayin that” she mumbled.  
“Beth I saw you outrun a pack of biters and then walk back here on a bruised ankle, even refusing to be carried” he told her truthfully  
“You’re really sweet” she said a smile appearing on her face.  
“Well I don’t think I’ve been called sweet before but I’ll take it” he grinned at her, she let out a small giggle and would he have given anything to hear it again.  
There was then strange sound and he realised it had come from her, from her stomach.  
“Um Max do you have any food?” she asked with hopeful and pleading look.  
He suddenly felt like a damn idiot, of course she was hungry, he may have gave her water but neglected to offer her food.  
“Yeah shit sorry where the fuck are my manners you must be starving right?” he asked sheepishly  
“I’m a little hungry” she admitted.  
“Its sorted then lets make some dinner” he suggested.  
Max grabbed the box containing his cooking gear from the bushmaster and placed it on the bigger table before returning to retrieve one of his food boxes.  
“Is there something I can help with?” Beth asked politely.  
“Nah its ok you just rest”  
She gave him a little disappointed look and felt like a dick again, it wouldn’t hurt her to help.  
“Ok how bout you choose what we eat?” he asked  
He picked the food container and placed it on the coffee table in front of her and a smile lit up her face as she took of the took off the lid.

 

Beth was amazed as she open the container Max had put in front of her after asking if she could help. The box was filled with freeze dried meals of all different varieties.  
“You trust me to chose?” she asked teasingly.  
“Hmm I guess we’ll find out” he replied as he set up a small camping stove.  
Beth couldn’t decide, they all looked and sounded delicious and finally picked a packet of tomato soup with pasta.  
“Tomato soup ok?” she asked.  
“Yeah sounds good” he replied  
She walked over, only hobbling slightly, her ankle still hurt but was getting better and handed the packet to him.  
“Ok now what?”  
“Ahh there are some bowls and cutlery in the box did you wanna get them” he said, she nodded and quickly retrieved them.  
“Hey can you hand me the big water jug in the cooler”  
Beth opened the cooler and grabbed the jug and handed it to Max, who poured the water into a pot he had placed on the camp stove.  
The stove had a small gas bottle attached to it and Max turned it on and lit the stove, a brilliant blue flame bursting from the burner.  
“Put the soup in?” she asked and he nodded  
Beth ripped the packet open and poured the contents into the water, he handed her a wooden spoon and she began to happily stir as the smell of tomato soup began to waft up.

 

Max watched her as she stirred the soup, she looked so happy and peaceful, like she was cooking any meal at home. Max had already decided to get her back to her group and was going to make it his mission to do so. While Beth looked after their dinner he looked around in the small reception area and found exactly what he was looking for, on a shelf beside some brochures and flyers was a stack of road maps of Georgia. He grabbed one an slid it into his thigh pocket.  
“Max um I think its done” Beth called  
“Give it a taste” he said returning back to her.  
She did and her eyes lit up and she nodded in delight.  
“Yep its hot and tastes so good”  
“Alright lets eat”  
He stood up and Beth was pouring their food into the bowls on the table and handed him a spoon. He sat down opposite her and dipped his spoon in. She was right it did taste good.  
“Well I’m impressed Beth you know how to cook a good soup” he said.  
A blush appeared on her face the same colour as the soup and looked down at her bowl.  
“I just stirred it” she said humbly  
“Hmm well you did a great job”  
“Well thank you Max” she laughed  
They quickly finished off the soup, Beth more quickly than him and he smiled as she used her fingers to get the last bits out of the bowl. Max stood up and cleared the dishes as Beth beamed at him.  
He filled a kettle with water and put it on the stove to boil, once boiled he took the kettle and the dirty dishes over to the small sink, grabbing a tea towel on the way.  
Beth appeared beside him, pulled the towel off his shoulder and patently waited for the first dish. 

 

The soup tasted divine to Beth as she ate it, best soup she had in years and not just because she was starving it was also because of the company.  
She felt her self blushing hard as he complemented on her ‘cooking’, like she had made it her self and giggled. Beth polished off the meal quicker than she would have liked but she had been starving and used her fingers to mop up the little bits of soup she couldn’t get with her spoon. She smiled at Max as he cleared the bowls, impressed, back at the prison most of the men didn’t clear their plates, leaving it to who ever was on dish duty.  
He took the dishes and the water he had just boiled over the little sink and Beth joined him still wanting to help, she pulled the towel from his shoulder, wanting to brush her hand over the muscles there.  
He handed her the first washed bowl and she dried it placing it on the bench beside her, repeating the process until everything was washed and dried.  
By then the sun had set and the garage was becoming darker and darker, Max lit a lantern and the room was filled with its soft glow.  
“I was thinking I get you back to your group” Max announced as they were sitting back on the couches. He pulled a map out of his pocket and lay it on the coffee table.  
Beth looked at him incredulous, yes she did want to get back to the prison, back to Maggie and her father but didn’t know how she was going to raise the subject to him.  
“You would do that?” she asked  
“Of course I would but first we gotta find your prison on the map”  
They poured over the map together, there was a moment as their fingers touched and could feel a spark cross between them. She felt her face warm and jumped slightly but Max didn’t seem to notice and kept looking.  
“Oh shit this must be it” he announced pointing to place marked ‘West Georgia Correctional Facility’ and Beth’s heart leapt.  
“Yeah that’s it”  
“Ok I remember a sign as was coming in today it said Archer’s spring” he said  
They both looked over the map, then Beth remembered Rick saying the town was east of the prison and began tracing east from the point on the map and found the town.  
“Um here it is” she announced.  
“Ah nice good spotting Beth, I guess that makes you the navigator, ok it doesn’t look like we are far, maybe an hours drive” Max mused.  
“Are we going tonight?” she asked hopefully.  
“Um no, to dangerous at night but I’ll get your first thing tomorrow is that ok?” he asked  
“Yes that’s perfectly fine Max thank you so much”  
“Hey no worries Beth I’m happy to do it”  
His expression turned serious and Beth froze slightly unable to read it and she felt a little shiver run down her spine.  
“I gotta ask you about your group”  
‘Oh ok”  
“Do they take in strangers?”  
Beth relaxed but then a new feeling took over, he wanted to join the group, maybe he was tired of being alone but he hadn’t met anyone else just her, so if he wanted to come and stay at the prison he must be really lonely or she had made some sort of impression and she really hoped it was the former.  
“Max if you bring me back, my father and the others will insist you stay”  
“Just like that?” he asked  
“Well um they might be a bit suspicious of you but if I can trust you so will they”  
The words hung in the air and Max nodded satisfied with her answer…

 

As they finished with the dishes the light was beginning to fade so Max retrieved a lantern, lit it and placed it so it could illuminated the room.  
He decided he needed find out where this prison of Beth’s was, he pulled the road map from his pocket and opened it out on the coffee table.  
“I was thinking I get you back to your group” he told her.  
“You would do that?” she asked.  
“Of course I would but first we gotta find your prison on the map”  
They both looked over the map together, searching intently for the words prison as he ran his finger across the map it brushed up against hers and for a moment wished he could touch her whole hand. He shook himself and focused and then he found it, a block marked ‘West Georgia Correctional Facility’.  
“Oh shit this must be it” he said pointing it out to her.  
“Ok I remember a sign as was coming in today it said Archer’s spring” he said.  
Beth looked thoughtful then she began tracing her finger east until she stopped at a point on the map.  
“Um here it is”  
She was correct and he made some quick calculations in his head, it was going to be a easy drive from where they were but not counting what they actually might find on the way  
“Ah nice good spotting Beth, I guess that makes you the navigator, ok it doesn’t look like we are far maybe an hours drive” Max mused.  
“Are we going tonight?” she asked.  
She had a hopefulness in her voice and on her face, and he almost considered packing up and taking here then and there but experience taught him things could go extremely wrong going half cocked and he made it a rule not to venture out at night.  
“Um no, to dangerous at night but I’ll get your first thing tomorrow is that ok?” he asked.  
“Yes that’s perfectly fine Max thank you so much” she smiled.  
“Hey no worries Beth I’m happy to do it” he replied feeling his face heat up under her soft gaze. With a plan now in motion there was something he needed to know now, it was about the temperament of her group, he couldn’t assume they were all like her and if they were, would they accept new people into the group?.  
“I gotta ask you about your group” he asked.  
‘Oh ok”  
“Do they take in strangers?”  
“Max if you bring me back, my father and the others will insist you stay” she assured.  
“Just like that?”  
“Well um they might be a bit suspicious of you but if I can trust you so will they”  
“Ok its settled then first thing tomorrow we make for the prison”  
Beth smiled at him and he was beginning to enjoy them, lighting up her beautiful face and wished he was a younger man. He cleared his throat, hoping she hadn’t caught him staring and stood up to hide his embarrassment.  
“Hey did you want some dessert?”  
“Dessert?” she asked confused  
“Yeah you Americans like dessert right?”  
She still fixed him with a confused look and he walked over to his pack and retrieved a small box from it. He opened it and handed the packet inside and handed it to her, Beth’s eyes widened as she took his last block of chocolate.  
“Oh wow I haven’t had chocolate in so long”  
“Yeah?”  
“Its not a real priority on the supply list” she said a little sadly.  
When they had finished the treat it was late and it was time to turn in Max knew they would need some sleep if they were getting up early and needed to be refreshed and alert for the journey. He told her to pick a couch and handed her his sleeping bag in case she needed it.  
“Does someone need to stay on watch” she asked, worriedly as she curled into her couch.  
“Nah we’ll be safe in here” he assured her.  
“You sure?”  
“Doors are locked and secured and I’m a light sleeper” he replied and she seemed satisfied by his answer.  
Max ensured Beth was settled and comfy, he extinguished the lantern and got himself comfy on his couch, which unfortunately was no where near long enough to accommodate his body.  
“Good night Max and thanks for everything today” he heard Beth say softly through the darkness.  
“No worries Beth” he said back.  
There was silence, Max closed his eyes and he was soon fast asleep.


	6. Chapter 6

Beth couldn’t fall asleep right away, the days events playing through her head from the morning to the run, to the escape through the woods to Max to the dinner and finally to the dessert, she smiled at the thought, the chocolate had been the ‘treat’ of the evening and she almost giggled at her own little joke.  
She found her body begging for sleep and finally her mind gave in and she drifted off to sleep.  
When she awoke, warm sunlight was pouring the high windows, she rolled over to find Max’s couch empty and she shot up in panic, her mind going wild thinking maybe she had been abandoned in the night.  
“Max?” she called out, panic in her voice.  
She looked around and realised she had panicked for nothing, his massive truck was still there as well as all his stuff was where he left it last night.  
The door opened and Max walked through who smiled at her but dropped it as he saw her expression.  
“Hey what’s wrong?”  
“I um woke up and you were gone” she said  
“Oh fuck sorry Beth I thought I would let you sleep a bit longer” he explained.  
“No its ok I just panicked a little” she admitted.  
“Sorry I should have woken you before I went outside” he replied.  
Beth felt stupid now but she felt a little better that Max was trying to make it his fault. She swung her legs off the couch and stood up and pleased there was no pain now.  
“Hows the ankle?” he asked.  
“Its good, a lot better” she answered with a smile.  
“Well good, how bout we have some breakfast”  
Breakfast sounded perfect and now that her mild panic attack was over she began to feel excited, ready for the day, ready to get back to the prison.  
“Ok so we have apple maple cereal or apple maple cereal” he said holding up two identical packets.  
“Oh um apple maple cereal sounds nice” she smiled taking one of the packets.  
Once breakfast was finished and washed up she helped him pack his gear away into the back of his vehicle and then walked around to the passenger side.  
“You wanna drive do you?” he asked with a grin and a raised eyebrow.  
“Huh? what no” she asked confused  
He stepped up and the foot step and opened the door to reveal it was actually the drivers side.  
“Australia like Britain drives on the left hand side of the road” he explained  
“Oh yeah that’s right” she said  
Max led her round to the real passenger side, he opened the door for her and gave her a boost to climb up inside. She settled into the comfortable seat and looked around the cab a little overwhelmed by the hardware inside. She watched Max through the front windshield open the big roller shutter and then climbed in the drivers side.  
“All ready to go?”  
Beth nodded and he started up the engine and drove out onto the road.  
“So this is a pretty cool truck” she said impressed.  
“Yeah bit of a beast, rolls right over the biters”  
“We call them walkers”  
“Walkers huh? I like that” he said and Beth giggled softly as he mouthed the word a couple of times trying it out.  
Beth glanced out the window as the tree’s flashed by and settled in for the journey. She wondered what everyone would think when she turned up alive, there would be tears no doubt on both sides and she hoped that if the group allowed him, Max would stay.  
“So how long has your group been at the prison?” he asked braking the silence.  
“Um probably about six months I guess, I lived on my daddies farm before the outbreak and then we had to leave and we moved from place to place before we found the prison” she replied, Max nodded, understanding.  
“So you’re a farm girl huh?”  
“Yeah all my life, my daddy was a veterinarian” she answered  
He nodded and looked back out out the window lost in thought.  
“So um do you know where to go?” she asked  
“Yeah I studied the map but if you want you can navigate so we don’t get lost” he suggested handing her the map.  
She opened it to find he had marked out a route to the prison in black marker. She traced along the line, learning the route.  
“Ok we have to take the next left along route 54”  
“Next left, got it boss” he repeated.  
They drove, making small talk and playing a short game of eye spy. They didn’t encounter any dangers, any walkers they came across either were pulverized by the massive vehicle or shuffled and waved their arms uselessly as they sped by.  
An hour later with Beth navigating quite competently, a sign appeared on the side of the road that read ‘Do not pick up hitch hikers, they could be escaping prisoners’ and she knew they at the prison.  
Beth felt a slight weight release as the drove up to the main gate but her happiness was shattered suddenly as a gunshot rang out and a bullet pinged off the window..


	7. Chapter 7

Max woke, stretched and rubbed his neck getting the kinks. He looked over at the other couch to check up on Beth, she was still sleeping peacefully and the morning sun streaming through the windows made her hair glow. Max found him self almost stunned by her angelic form and shook him self before she woke and caught him staring like a creep.  
He noticed the road map still open on the coffee table, he grabbed it and placed it on the bigger table, grabbing a marker, he plotted out what seemed like the best route. Max needed to take his morning piss he considered waking Beth but decided to let her sleep a bit longer, grabbed his rifle and made for the door.  
Carefully opening it, he stepped out, nothing greeted him and he breathed in the morning air. It was going to be another hot day, summer was defiantly on its way. It didn’t bother Max, having experienced scorching summers all his life, all over the world. After he had relived himself, Max returned back inside and smiled as he saw Beth was awake, but it faded as he saw she was upset.  
“Hey what’s wrong?” he asked, concerned.  
“I um woke up and you were gone” she said quietly  
“Oh fuck sorry Beth, I thought I would let you sleep a bit longer”  
“No its ok I know you wouldn’t leave me here” she replied, her voice still quite.  
“Nah I should have woken you before I went outside”  
Max felt like an idiot, his good intentions had apparently scared the hell out of her.  
“Hows the ankle?” he asked as she hoped of the couch and tested her ankle.  
“Its good, a lot better” she answered with a smile.  
“Well good, how bout we have some breakfast” Max suggested.  
Max dug through the food box and found the cereal packets and held them up.  
“Ok so we have apple maple cereal or apple maple cereal”  
“Oh um apple maple cereal sounds nice” she smiled taking one of the packets.  
They ate a quick breakfast then she helped him pack everything away in the Bushmaster ready for the journey. Once everything was secured in the back, she walked around and reached for the drivers door and Max smirked as he realised she thought it was the passenger side.  
“You wanna drive do you?” he asked with a grin and a raised eyebrow.  
“Huh? what no” she asked fixing him with a confused look and Max opened the door to reveal the drivers side of the vehicle.  
“Australia like Britain drives on the left hand side of the road” he explained,  
“Oh yeah that’s right” she said  
Max led her round to the real passenger side, he opened the door for her and gave her a boost to climb up inside. He closed the door behind her and opened the roller shutter before climbing into the Bushmaster.  
“All ready to go?”  
She nodded, Max fired up the engine and pulled out of the garage.  
“So this is a pretty cool truck” she said impressed as they began making their way down the road.  
“Yeah bit of a beast, rolls right over the biters” he smiled.  
“We call them walkers” she informed him  
“Walkers huh? I like that” he said.  
“So how long has your group been at the prison?” he asked a few minutes later.  
“Um probably about six months I guess, I lived on my daddies farm before the outbreak and then we had to leave and we moved from place to place before we found the prison” she replied  
“So you’re a farm girl huh?” he teased.  
“Yeah all my life, my daddy was a veterinarian”  
“So um do you know where to go?” she asked him.  
“Yeah I studied the map but if you want you can navigate so we don’t get lost” he suggested handing her the map.  
“Ok we have to take the next left along route 54” she said after looking over the map.  
“Next left, got it boss” he repeated and she smiled  
Max was impressed with Beth’s navigation skills as they drove down the empty roads never getting them lost or having to stop to check, granted he had marked out the best route but he knew from experience even the best could get an entire convoy of soldiers lost in the badlands of a war zone. They made small talk and even played a game of eye spy a game he hadn’t played since a teenager. He was glad of the route he had picked out, thankful of no dangers or any blockages in the roads. They did encounter a small group of walkers standing in the road but Max mowed them down and continued on. The whole journey took shorter than he had anticipated as what could only be a prison came into view. The main gate of the prison appeared to had some heavily fortified modifications added to it most likely by Beth’s group. He slowed down slightly as they closed on the gate, not wanting to spook anyone but his efforts were in vain as a shot rang out and a bullet smacked into the bushmasters thankfully bulletproof windshield. He slammed on the brakes and turned to Beth, who seemed to recognised the teenager who was aiming a rifle at them from the other side of the gate.  
“He’s friendly, he just doesn’t recognise the truck”  
Beth made to open her door but he grabbed her hand before she could, telling her to be careful.  
“I’ll be fine he knows me” she insisted  
She opened her door, stepped out and another shot rang out, smacking into the door.  
Max reached down to flick off the safety on his pistol, ready for anything.  
“Carl don’t shot It’s me, Its Beth” Beth screamed as she dropped to the ground .  
He couldn’t hear the kid but he didn’t open fire again and Max could see him relax his rifle and run to open the gate. The massive iron gates swung open and Beth ran through the opening, she waved at him to follow as the gates opened wide enough for him to do so. He drove in slowly and parked just inside and shut down the engine, but didn’t relax just yet as he noticed a silver suv speeding down to greet them.


	8. Chapter 8

Beth had arrived back at the prison safe and alive and now she was being shot at by Carl, some welcome she thought.  
“Carl don’t shoot It’s me, Its Beth” she screamed as she jumped to the ground and stepped out so Carl could see it was indeed her.  
“Beth?” Carl yelled, surprise in his voice.  
“Yes it me, don’t shoot me” she yelled.  
“Oh shit I’m sorry Beth” Carl yelled back.  
Carl opened the gate, she ran through and she motioned for Max to follow, he did so and parked, turning off the vehicle.  
Beth heard the sound of engines and looked up the small hill to see a suv coming down as well as several people running down on foot, obviously alerted by the sudden appearance of Max’s truck and Carl’s shots.  
They reached the gate in moments and Rick, Daryl, Maggie and Michonne piled out of the suv, guns at the ready.  
“Beth” yelled Maggie as she ran towards Beth.  
Beth felt tears of joy flow down her face and fell into her sisters arms.  
“Oh my god Beth, you’re ok, what happened?” sobbed Maggie cradling Beth’s head in her hands, both sisters crying in joy.  
“I’m ok Maggie” Beth sobbed through her tears.  
“We thought you were dead, Rick said you were just gone”  
Their little reunion would have to wait, the others snapped their weapons up as Max stepped down and Beth could see the look of concern on their faces and knowing Rick didn’t trust strangers all that well, she had to act fast.  
“No don’t shoot him, he saved me, its ok, he saved me” yelled Beth pulling out of Maggie embrace and stood between them and Max.  
“Its ok Beth I get it, can’t be too careful” said Max and pulled his pistol slowly out, tossed it on the ground and raised his hands.  
“That true Beth?” asked Rick still pointing his pistol, but he seemed put off guard by the quick self disarming.  
“Yes, he saved me” Beth repeated.  
Beth stood her ground hoping that by shielding Max ,it would be enough to convince them of his good intentions.  
“I saw the girl was in trouble, just wanted to see her back safely” he explained his hands still up  
“Who are you?” asked Rick  
“The name is Maxwell Knight, former Australian Special Air service”  
“You're an Aussie?” drawled Daryl.  
“Yup, was stationed near DC protecting some Australian dignitaries when everything went to hell” Max answered.  
“We appreciate you saving Beth, and bringing her back, she says she trusts you but I gotta ask you some questions”  
“Sure ask away”  
“How many walkers have you killed?” Rick asked.  
“Today? Or since the beginning?, cus i stopped counting” Max replied  
“Ok, how many people have you killed”  
“I’m a soldier mate, killing people was kinda of in my job description, but I never killed anyone who didn’t deserve it”  
“Let him in Rick, he’s not dangerous” Beth pleaded to Rick.  
“So what’s in the truck?” Rick asked and lowered his pistol, motioning for Daryl to drop his crossbow.  
“Some supplies, some weapons and ammo”.  
Beth could see Rick was relaxing she hoped the news of weapons and ammo would sway the former deputies mind and let Max stay…

 

As Beth’ people jumped out of the SUV and she had a very tearful reunion with a brunette woman, Max carefully and slowly stepped down out of the bushmaster and the immediately trained their weapons on him, pistols, a rifle and one of the men was even carrying a crossbow.  
“No don’t shoot him, he saved me, its ok, he saved me” yelled Beth pulling out her self from the brunette’s arms and put herself between them and himself.  
“Its ok Beth I get it, can’t be too careful” said Max  
He drew his pistol slowly from his thigh holster, tossed it into the dirt and held out his hands.  
“That true Beth?” asked one of them still pointing his pistol who Max gathered was the leader of the group.  
“Yes, he saved me” Beth repeated.  
“I saw the girl was in trouble, just wanted to see her back safely” Max explained.  
“Who are you?” the leader asked again.  
“The name is Maxwell Knight, former Australian Special Air service” he answered.  
“You're an Aussie?” drawled the red neck with the crossbow.  
“Yup, was stationed near DC protecting some Australian dignitaries when everything went to hell” Max answered.  
“We appreciate you saving Beth, and bringing her back, she says she trusts you but I gotta ask you some questions” said the first one.  
“Sure ask away”  
“How many walkers have you killed?” he asked  
“Today? Or since the beginning?, cus i stopped counting”  
“Ok, how many people have you killed”  
Max thought about this for a second, he had killed a lot of people over his military career and some after the outbreak.  
“I’m a soldier mate, killing people was kinda of in my job description, but I never killed anyone who didn’t deserve it”  
The man seemed to accept his answer and Max heard Beth call him Rick. Max bent down to pick up his pistol and slid it back in his holster.  
“So what’s in the truck?” the one called Rick asked and lowered his pistol, nodding to the red neck who lowered his crossbow.  
“Some supplies, some weapons and ammo  
“What the hell kind a truck is this anyway?” the red neck asked, impressed.  
“Its a Australian Bushmaster APC, designed to hold 8 fully geared commandos into most land situations” Max rattled of the APC’s specs as they wandered around it awe.  
“Ok how bout we get up to the prison I’m sure Herschel is going to be very happy to see you Beth”  
Max nodded and he proceeded to drive the APC up the short incline and through the inside gate and parked it on the gravel in front of the main building.  
He stepped down a waited for the others to reach him, he nodded greetings as the prison citizens milled around nervously. No talked and he was about to say something when Rick and the others jumped out of the sliver SUV.  
“Its ok everyone, everything fine” Rick said and most of them walked off and Max’s suspicions about Rick were confirmed.  
Beth and the woman who Max guessed was her sister came to stand next to him and the strange fluttering feeling reared up again, he was going to have to watch himself. The girl was off limits and he had no doubt anyone of the men in the group would have no problems with putting him down if they suspected anything at all. He knew from experience that groups of survivors didn’t take to kindly to strangers encroaching on their women. But oblivious to his thoughts, Beth gave him a smile and flicking a stray hair out her face, she wasn’t going to make this easy.  
“Max this is my sister Maggie” Beth said introducing him to the brunette, he offered the her his hand.  
“Max Knight, pleased to meet you”  
“Maggie Greene thanks for saving my sister” she said, Max could tell she didn’t entirely trust him yet and he took no offense.  
“And this my brother in law Glenn and this is Tyreese” she continued with the introductions, Max shook hands with both of them.  
“The surly one with the bow is Daryl, he’s our resident hunter”  
The red neck didn’t offer his hand but nodded and Max nodded back, Max pegged him as the lone wolf type and Max felt a mutual respect for the guy.  
“And of course Rick”  
Max held out his hand, this is the one he would ultimately have to convince. Rick took it, and Max could see sense of trust in the other man’s eyes as he shook it.  
“Bethie it that you?” asked a voice as kindly old gentleman with a limp appeared, and Beth flung herself into his arms.  
“Daddy” Beth cried as the man wrapped an arm around her.  
“Oh honey I was so worried about you, we feared the worst when Rick and the others came back without you” he said with tears in his eyes.  
“I was ok daddy I was scared at first but then Max saved me, this is him”  
Max held out his hand to Hershel who took and shook it warmly.  
“Corporal Maxwell Knight, former SAS”  
“Hershel Greene, SAS you said? British?” he asked  
“No sir, Aussie”  
“And you brought my daughter back?”  
“yes sir, saw her in trouble and did what any good man would do”  
“Well thank you very much, my girls are very precious to me” said Hershel  
“Quite a truck son” as said he inspected the Bushmaster.  
“Max you said you had weapons and supplies?” Rick asked, interjecting.  
“Ahh yeah I did I have..”  
“Now Rick I’m sure Max will offer what ever he has, but I’m sure he would like to relax before we strip him of his things, come on inside Max ” said Hershel smiled and  
Max followed him as he and Beth walked into the prison building.


	9. Chapter 9

Beth watched as Max drove his truck up the hill and as the others followed in the suv. She had wanted to ride with Max but Maggie grabbed her hand, waving the others off, that they would catch up.  
“Uh huh no way Bethie, you’re going to tell me everything” Maggie demanded.  
Beth explained how she had been cut off from everyone, how she had run out the back, how Max had come along just in time, saved her and then spent the night at the garage.  
”He didn’t hurt you did he or try anything?” Maggie asked with suspicion in her voice.  
“No Maggie of course not” Beth replied simply  
“So he found you and brought you back here and didn’t want anything in return?” Maggie asked with her same same tone.  
Beth turned to her sister with look of scorn, why wasn’t she believing her story?, why did she want to write off Max so quickly?  
“No Maggie he had he’s way with me first and because I’m so fragile I just let him and then revealed the prisons location” Beth snapped angrily.  
“Geeze Beth ok I get it” Maggie looked down at her shocked.  
“Well you weren’t listening to me, like I said, he didn’t even try to hurt me, he is good person Maggie”  
“Ok ok I believe you, ok?”  
“Good”  
By now they had reached the prison, Beth walked up next to Max, he looked down at her and she smiled, nervously flicking a hair out of her face.  
“Max this is my sister Maggie” Beth said introducing him  
“Max Knight, pleased to meet you”  
“Maggie Greene thanks for saving my sister” Maggie said and Beth hoped she would give him the benefit of the doubt.  
“And this my brother in law Glenn and this is Tyreese” she continued with the introductions and Max shook hands with both of them.  
“The surly one with the bow is Daryl he’s our resident hunter”  
Daryl didn’t shake Max’s hand but instead nodded an acknowledgement and Max nodded back.  
“And of course Rick”  
“Bethie it that you?” asked a voice, Beth spun to see her father hobbling up to them and she ran into his arms.  
“Daddy” she cried as he wrapped an arm around her.  
“Oh honey I was so worried about you we feared the worst when Rick and the others came back without you”  
“I was ok daddy I was scared at first but then Max saved me, this is Max”  
Beth felt a strange feeling as Max held out his hand to her father, she couldn’t read his expression but he took Max’s hand regardless.  
“Corporal Maxwell Knight, former SAS”  
“Hershel Greene, SAS you said? British?”  
“No sir, Aussie”  
“And you saved my daughter out there?”  
“yes sir, saw her in trouble and did what any good man would do”  
“Well thank you very much, my girls are very precious to me”  
Beth smiled at this as her father looked down at her at gave her a squeeze. He whistled as he looked at Bushmaster.  
“Quite a truck son” he said.  
“Max you said you had weapons and supplies?” Rick asked, interrupting and Beth thought he was a bit rude to do so.  
“Ahh yeah I did I have..”  
“Now Rick I’m sure Max will offer what ever he has, but I’m sure he would like to relax before we strip him of his things, come on inside Max ” Beth felt her father prod her and they headed inside They made their way into the prison mess area where Carol and Sasha were preparing a meal. They looked up when the group walked in and some gasped as they saw Beth.  
“Oh my god Beth” cried Carol rushing over to her and Beth hugged the older woman.  
“Hi Carol”  
“How are you back?” Carol asked  
“Carol this is Max, I ran into him in the woods, he saved me and brought me back” Beth said and placed her hand on Max’s arm  
“Well it’s a pleasure to meet you Max” as she shook hands with him and Sasha walked over an introduced herself.  
Herschel then asked Max if he was going to stay, like it was even a question Beth thought but his answer froze her slightly, he didn’t know know if he was going to stay. Her father seemed to understand and offered him a cell for the time being.  
Maggie pulled him aside and whispered something into his ear, Hershel frowned slightly, as did Beth because she couldn’t hear what Maggie was saying, but then he smiled and patted Maggie on the shoulder.  
“Maggie has just informed me that D block is filled up, but there is a couple free in here, as long as you put up with Michonne’s snoring” the older man chuckled.  
Beth almost lost her mind at this information, usually newcomers were housed in D block, C block was for the founding family but with the rescue of the surviving Woodbury members D block was all occupied and the rest of the cells were uninhabitable, there was only C block and yes there was some cells free and one was just down from hers. The thought of him sleeping so close to her filled her with a strange joy and she felt her heart beat faster.  
“Daddy are you sure?” Maggie cautioned and Beth almost hissed at her before she stopped herself.  
“I think it will be fine Maggie, unless you are planning to murder us in our sleep Max?”  
“no sir I’ll try not to, but If I’m causing any inconvenience..” he replied trailing off  
“Nonsense”  
“Its fine with me” pipped up Glenn and Beth could have hugged him  
“Well we can’t have you sleeping outside so you have my vote” said Carol  
“Then its settled, now upstairs or downstairs Max” asked Hershel and Beth’s heart stopped, she looked at her cell for a sec and then watched him make his decision..


	10. Chapter 10

Max took in the prison as they walked inside, it was battered but he had definitely seen worse, in fact it was step up from some of the third world prisons he had ‘visited’ in his career.  
Two woman were busy preparing a meal in a makeshift cooking area, Beth introduced the older one as Carol after she and Beth hugged. The other introduced her self as Sasha.  
Past them Max could see a larger room that housed the prisoner cells.  
“Now Max are you passing through or planning to stay?” asked Hershel.  
“To be honest I’m not exactly sure” Max answered truthfully.  
“Well how bout we set you up with a cell even if its just few a few night?” Hershel suggested  
Max made to accept but Maggie pulled her father aside and whispered something into his ear, Hershel frowned slightly, as did Beth, but then Hershel smiled and patted his daughter on the shoulder.  
“Maggie has just informed me that D block is filled up, but there is a couple free in here, as long as you put up with Michonne’s snoring” the older man chuckled  
“Daddy are you sure?” Maggie cautioned  
Max could tell he was intruding on something personal and he gathered it had something to do with the cell blocks, most likely the people were grouped together by relationships to each other.  
“I think it will be fine Maggie, unless you are planning to murder us in our sleep Max?”  
“No sir I’ll try not to, but If I’m causing any inconvenience..” he trailed off, implying that he would be happy sleeping anywhere behind walls.  
“Nonsense” said Hershel firmly  
“Its fine with me” pipped up Glenn  
“We can’t have you outside, you have my vote” said Carol  
“Then its settled, now upstairs or downstairs Max?” asked Hershel  
Max looked around to make a choice, not that it mattered in the end but he caught Beth’s eye and noticed them flash to the right and that cemented his decision.  
“Down I guess”  
“Excellent, there is only one downstairs I believe”  
They others excused themselves to attend to other things, Hershel and Beth lead Max to the empty cell that was to be his.  
“Here we go”  
Max looked in, the cell was dingy and bare, but it was far better than sleeping in the Bushmaster.  
“Looks good to me”  
“Excellent, we’ll get some bedding to you”  
“Eh don’t go to too much trouble, I’ve been conditioned to sleep in harsh places even before the outbreak, though a nice bed does sound good”  
Hershel smiled warmly and began leading him back out of the cell .As they walked back to the mess, Beth paused at a cell, Max glanced inside, it was filled with nick nacs, the walls were covered in drawings and pictures. The bunk bed covered in a floral cover subtlety hinted a girl slept there. The whole room looked warm and inviting, like a typical teenagers room minus the boy band posters.  
‘Um this is mine, its a bit of a mess” she said as she scurried in, attempting to clean the clutter on her bed  
“Nah looks perfect” he blurted out before he could stop himself  
Max almost groaned at himself ‘nah looks perfect’, god he sounded like an idiot he thought but Beth beamed.  
“Beth I think its time you get your self cleaned up” said Hershel.  
“Ok daddy I’ll see you later Max”  
“Yeah, sure”  
“And um thanks again for saving me” she said softly and she played with the bands on her wrist.  
Max tried not to stare as she walked off, she had a sway in her hips that was almost hypnotic. He turned back to Hershel and Max braced him self for the ‘stay away from my daughter’ speech. But the older man only smiled at him and grasped his shoulder  
“So Max how long have you been out there?” he asked  
“Too long sir”  
“Now, now there is no need for the sirs, you’re going to make me feel old” Hershel chuckled.  
“Sorry, force of habit”  
“Well we are all good people here, how bout you bring some of your stuff in and join us for lunch it should be ready soon”  
Max thanked the man and made his way back outside to his vehicle. He gathered his sleeping bag and his pack from the APC.  
“So I guess I’m not the new guy any more” said a voice, Max turned to see a thin African American man smiling at him.  
“Bob Stookey” said the man, holding out a hand.  
“Max Knight” said Max shaking Bobs hand.  
“You were in the military?” Bob asked, referring to Max’s clothes and the Bushmaster.  
“Yup SAS”  
“For real?, I was a medic myself “  
“Army?” Max inquired.  
“yeah did a few tours” Bob replied  
“Did a few as well”  
“Well welcome to the prison I was out there by myself for quite a while before they found me, the scenery might be a bit harsh, but the people and the showers make up for it”  
“showers huh?”  
Max couldn’t remember the last time he had a shower, he usually found a river or stream but mostly a rag and a bucket did the trick.  
Sasha appeared and called Bob inside to help, Bob waved and turned back to Max.  
“Well looks like I gotta earn my keep, it was nice meeting you Max”  
“Likewise”  
“Hey where are these showers anyway?” Max asked, Bob smiled again and told him where to go. Max watched Bob go then grabbed a change of clothes, his toiletry bag and a towel and headed for the showers.  
The showers were simple pumps in a drum of water, hooked up to a battery, it wasn’t hot but Max didn’t care a cold shower was perfect on a day like this. As the water ran over him he scrubbed the dirt away. Once showered and changed, he looked at him self in the mirror and decided to get rid of his beard while he was at it. He almost didn’t recognise himself when it was gone but liked his fresh look, he gathered up his things, made his way back the the cell block, threw his stuff into his cell and stopped short when he saw Beth come out of another cell with a baby in her arms.


	11. Chapter 11

Beth almost panicked when Max looked in her cell, she had left it in a mess as usual and she hurried in to try and tidy up a bit.  
‘Um this is mine, its a bit of a mess” she said quickly.  
“Nah looks perfect” Max said  
Beth stopped clearing to look at him and she blushed as he looked around her cell.  
“Beth I think its time you get your self cleaned up” said her father.  
She felt a little miffed he had suggested it but she was covered in sweat and dirt and hadn’t showered since the day before.  
“Ok daddy I’ll see you later Max”  
“No worries”  
she grabbed a towel and a change of clothes and after thanking Max once more, she made her way to the showers to wash off the grit and grime she had accumulated from her adventure. After cleaning her self up she pulled on her fresh clothes, a new pair of jeans and a peach coloured top and walked back to her cell. She wondered if Max would end up staying and if everyone would like him.  
“Beth?”  
She snapped back to the real world to see Carl looking at her, holding Judith in his arms. The little girl was squirming in her brothers hold and when she saw Beth she held out her arms in greeting.  
“How was she?”  
“Fine I guess, she cried, i think she missed you”  
“Aww did you miss me pumpkin?” Beth asked  
Yesterday she was almost dreading taking care of Judith, but now with the air of change in the prison she was her happy self again and she took the girl into her arms.  
“Sorry about almost shooting you before, are you sure you’re ok?” he asked concerned  
“Yeah I’m fine now, I was pretty scared”  
“So he did saved you?” Carl asked, referring to Max.  
“Yeah he did” she said  
“Well I’m glad you’re safe now, um I gotta help my dad, can you look after her, I just fed her so she doesn’t need to eat” He explained.  
Beth nodded after all she was the most qualified sitter, Carl thanked her and went off to find his father. Judith babbled and Beth rocked her back and forth. She walked back to the cell block and sat on the stairs.  
“Who is this little thing?” asked a voice.  
She looked up to see Max and her breath caught in her chest, he had showered and changed and shaved, if he was handsome before he was now more so all cleaned up. Beth felt her face heat up as he stood there, looking at them with a cute quizzical look on his face.  
“This is Rick’s daughter, Judith” she explained.  
"She's beautiful"  
"Yes she is, her mother died giving birth to her so we all take care of her" Beth explained but she didn't add that she took care of Judith the most.  
"Well you seem to be doing a good job” Max remarked,Beth blushed at the praise, smiling at him.  
“So you going to stay?” she asked, changing the conversation to a subject she really wanted to know the answer to.  
“Yeah I just might you guys do have a great set up here, and it would be nice to have some real conversations” Max replied  
Beth’s heart soared when she heard this and she looked down at Judith hoping Max wouldn’t see her excitement at his decision by was saved by Carol as she wandered into the cell block.  
“Lunch is ready Beth, would you like to join us Max?”  
“If that’s alright?” he asked  
“Of course it alright”said Beth smiling at him, thinking it was cute he could be polite but looked like he could kill a dozen walkers with his bare hands at the same time.  
“Come on lets go eat”…


	12. Chapter 12

Max felt like he was intruding as they walked into the mess and everyone turned to look at the newcomer but the warm smiles everyone gave him quickly changed his mind. There was maybe twenty people sitting at various tables and Sasha and Ty were serving them a stew from a pot.  
As they passed, Rick stood up from his table, Beth placed Judith in his arms and he sat back down with Carl, who Max guessed was Rick’s son.  
“Over here Beth, Max you too”called Hershel, indicating a table he, Maggie Glenn were sitting at.  
They walked across the room suddenly a little blonde girl, not looking where she was going, bumped into him and Max caught her before she fell.  
“sorr-” she said and fell silent as she looked up at him.  
“You ok?” he asked as he released her arm.  
“Mika this is Max” said Beth with an amused look on her face.  
The girl didn’t reply but blushed and ran to her table, Max heard Beth laugh and she was not the only one.  
“Something I said?” Max asked confused as the girl sat with another girl about her age.  
“She is just shy round new people” Beth explained.  
“Ahh I see”  
They sat down, Max next to Glenn and Maggie while Beth took a seat opposite him next to her father.  
“Hope you like venison stew Max” as Hershel passed him a bowl.  
“Love it, haven’t had it in ages”  
“I find it too gamey” said Glenn  
“Glenn still misses burgers and nachos” Maggie teased.  
“Oh haha so does everyone” said Glenn defensively.  
“Hey Max, some stew?” asked Sasha with a ladle of stew from the pot Ty was holding.  
The stew was excellent, the venison had been procured by Daryl and Max polished it off quickly. He looked up from his finished bowl to find Beth looking at him and she quickly looked down to her own meal, blushing.  
“So Max tell us a little about yourself” asked Herschel.  
“Ok what did you want to know?”  
“Oh the usual, where are you from? ”  
“Well I grew up in a small town on the south east coast just down from Sydney, joined the military straight after school, I fought in Iraq and Afghanistan before being assigned a protection detail here in DC just before the outbreak” max replied between bites.  
“So how did you get down here?” Hershel continued.  
“Just kinda happened, was with a group for a while, that didn’t pan out then I was just wandering around”  
“Until you met us” said Hershel warmly  
”Yes until I met you” Max replied talking to the whole group but looking at Beth.  
If she got the implied meaning Max couldn't really tell but she did give a bright smile.  
They all finished up pretty quickly and Maggie and Beth stood up to clear the table. Beth walked around to grab his and Glenn’s bowl and as she did she brushed his arm. The smooth skin of hers against his sent a pleasant jolt up his arm, he knew she felt it too because she kept her arm there as he handed her his spoon, before moving off with the bowls and spoons to the wash up sink on the wall. He gazed at her surreptitiously till she looked back and the bowls wobbled in her hands.  
“So what did you think of the stew?” asked Hershel  
“Excellent, best I’ve had in a long time”  
“That’s good to hear”  
Rick and his boy joined them taking Beth and Maggie’s empty seats. They all chatted while everyone drifted off elsewhere till it was just him, Hershel, Rick, Carl and of course Maggie and Beth.  
The baby started crying and Beth walked over and picked her up out of Ricks arms.  
“I think its nap time for this one” she said and rocked her until she quieted down.  
“Thanks Beth, Carl help Beth with your sister”  
“yes dad” and took his sister from Beth and the two left the room.  
“Well I better check on the pigs” Rick announced, standing up from the table.  
“Yeah we can’t sit around all day” said Maggie  
They all stood up at once and went their separate ways except for Max and Hershel. For the first time in months, Max was at a loss about what to to next, everyone at the prison seemed to have jobs to do. He would have to determine quickly how best to help out.  
“Anything I can help with?”  
Hershel fixed him a reassuring smile and patted his shoulder.  
“No you just settle in for the moment”  
“I don’t work well in idle and I’d like to earn my keep”  
“Duly noted Max, and you have already earning your keep by bringing my daughter back to me, just relax, settle in and tomorrow well decide how best you can help out”  
Max accepted this it and Hershel left to attend to his own business. He looked around then headed outside to gather his things. 

 

Beth giggled as Mika ran into Max and almost fell on her arse but her caught her just in time. Mika ran to her table to sit next to Lizzie and her father.  
“Something I said?” Max asked confused  
“She’s just shy around new people” Beth replied  
They sat down at the table, she almost sat next to Max but decided to sit across from him next to her father. The meal went smoothly, he talked about wondering around alone, she gathered he had been alone for a while but her heart ached for him.  
They finished up and as Beth took Max’s bowl, she accidentally brushed his arm and she felt a rush of electricity pass between them. Max didn’t jerk away and Beth tried to keep her arm there as long as possible as he handed his cutlery. She broke away and walked to their little wash up area with butterflies in her stomach, she looked back to see Max looking at her nonchalantly and she almost dropped the other bowls.  
“Well he is pretty handsome I’ll have to say that” mused Maggie.  
"So you trust him?" Beth asked worriedly.  
"I didn't say that, but he doesn't seem crazy and he hasn't really given me a reason not to trust him"  
Beth just nodded, its all she wanted to hear and began washing the bowls in the hot water in the sink, trying her best not to look back at the table.  
They were almost done when Judith started crying, she looked around to see Rick and Carl had moved tables and Rick was now rocking his daughter in vain.  
“Go, I got this” said Maggie  
Beth nodded, wiped her hands, walked over to the table and Rick placed the squealing baby in her arms.  
“I think its nap time for this one” she said and Judith stopped crying as she rocked her.  
“Thanks Beth, Carl help Beth with your sister” Rick ordered.  
“Yes dad” said Carl and took Judith from Beth.  
Beth gave a glance at Max but he was deep in conversation with her father, then she and Carl left to put Judith down for her nap.  
Beth placed Judith in the cot in her fathers cell and Carl pulled a blanket up over her.  
“So Max is pretty cool” Carl said  
“Yeah he is” Beth replied a little to quickly.  
“Is it true he was a soldier?”  
“Yes in the Australian military, he said he is like a SEAL”  
“That’s awesome”  
Beth agreed with him then left him to watch his sister and walked headlong into Zach, who smiled at her.  
“Hi Beth” he said with his trademark cocky smile.  
“Oh hi Zach, um can I help you with something?” Beth asked as he moved in front of her.  
“I just wanted to see how you were” Zach explained  
“Oh thanks Zach” Beth replied, relaxing slightly.  
“So Beth listen I was wondering if you would like have dinner with me sometime?” he asked  
Beth stared at him like a deer in headlights, she knew what he was asking, he had been sending signals ever since he had arrived at the prison.  
“Oh um I don’t know Zach” she replied, trying to let him down easily.  
“Are you sure, come its just dinner, you can tell me all about what happened out there” He pushed, his tone indicating he wasn't going to back down.  
“Um maybe”  
“Ok I’ll take maybe and I’ll see you later” he said with a smile and walked off.  
He left her bewildered, Zach was going to be a handful and would have try to convince him more clearly that she wasn’t interested..


	13. Chapter 13

Max made his way back outside to the Bushmaster, retrieved his gear and returned back to his cell. He sat down on the bunk, a far cry from a real bed but once again he would chose a bed of any kind over sleeping in the bushmaster.  
“Comfy?” asked a voice and Max looked up to see Beth standing in the doorway with a stack of sheets in her arms.  
“Yeah not bad” he admitted  
“Good, I um got you some sheets, for the mattress and so you can hang one up for privacy” she said, holding out the linen.  
“Thanks Beth”   
“No worries least I could do”  
Max was about to reply when a shrill cry filled the block and Max noticed a look of disappointment fill Beth’s face.  
“Dang I hoped she would sleep longer”   
She ducked out of the cell, Max threw the sheets on his bunk and followed her. He caught up to her as she pulled the bawling child from her crib.  
“Shh its ok Judith, I’m here hush now” soothed Beth, rocking her.  
“She alright?” Max asked, concerned.  
“Yeah I think so, she gets like this”  
The rocking seemed to be working and the little girl stopped crying.  
“Good girl Judith”   
“You take care of her all the time?” Max asked.  
“Um not all of the time” she replied in unconvincing tone.  
Max didn’t want to press the issue, not wanting to embarrass her and also because he was still very new to the group, he had to watch what he said.  
“You’re very good with her”  
“Thanks”   
Judith had calmed down completely and Beth placed her back into the crib, the baby closed her eyes and was soon fast asleep.  
“Hopefully she’ll stay down for a while, I um better sit with her just in case”  
“Yeah no worries I’ll catch you later and thanks for the sheets”  
A small blush appeared on her face and she smiled, Max returned to his cell and began to organize his gear, trying to make it more livable. He had just grabbed one of the sheets Beth had given him when there was a cough and for the second time a woman stood at his door, she was a tallish brunette who Max gathered was round his age and was quite beautiful.  
“Hi there I hope I’m not intruding” she said.  
“Hey not at all” Max insisted, standing up  
“I saw you at lunch and I just wanted to introduce myself I’m Julie” said the woman holding out her hand.  
“Hi Julie I’m Max”  
“Yeah I know you’re all everyone's talking about”  
“Good things I hope” Max inquired with a raised eyebrow.  
“Oh yes of course, not everyday we get a hero arriving at our gates” she said   
Max didn’t answer but Julie flashed him a brilliant smile, flicked a stray hair behind her ear.   
“Well I just wanted to say hi and welcome you to the prison and if wanted to talk or anything I’m you’re girl”  
And without a word more she departed, leaving Max a little puzzled he couldn’t be sure but he was fairly certain he had just been hit on, he was defiantly going to have to watch himself.


	14. Chapter 14

After Zach had left, Beth passed by Max’s newly acquired cell and saw he still needed some bedding, she went into her cell and grabbed some of her spare sheets, freshly washed a few days ago. She walked back to Max’s cell intending to put the sheets on the bed, only to find Max had returned in the short time she had been gone.  
Comfy?” she asked him  
“Yeah not bad” he admitted  
“Good, I um got you some sheets, for the mattress and so you can hang one up for privacy” she said.  
“Thanks Beth” he said taking the sheets from her.  
“No worries least I could do”  
Suddenly a familiar cry filled the air and Beth sighed inwardly, the girl had the worst timing Beth thought  
“Dang I hoped she would sleep longer”  
Beth left Max’s cell and walked back to Rick’s and picked Judith up from the crib.  
“Shh its ok Judith, I’m here hush now” she soothed, rocking her in her arms, she turned to see Max had followed her.  
“She alright?” Max asked with concern in his voice.  
“Yeah I think so, she gets like this” Beth replied.  
“Good girl Judith” Beth said to Judith as she quietened down.  
“You take care of her all the time?” Max asked.  
“Um not all of the time” she said trying to sound convincing but failing to do so.  
She still didn’t want Max to know she was Judith’s primary babysitter, not just yet anyway.  
“You’re very good with her” he said warmly and she knew he meant it  
“Thanks”  
Judith was again her placid self, Beth carefully placed her back into the crib, and the little girl went back to sleep.  
“Hopefully she’ll stay down for a while, I um better sit with her just in case” Beth suggested.  
“Yeah no worries I’ll catch you later and thanks for the sheets”  
He left and Beth sighed again, looking down at the little Grimes.  
“You couldn’t let me have one second could you?” Beth said bitterly.  
The words coming out of her mouth shocked her and she instantly felt bad, it wasn’t Judith’s fault.  
The girl didn’t stir and Beth decided to risk it, she walked out and found carol walking down the stairs.  
“Hey Beth, she sleeping?” Carol asked kindly.  
“I hope so” Beth admitted  
“I’ll watch over her you go rest”  
“Really?, thanks Carol” said Beth beaming at her.  
“Well that didn’t take long” said Carol, looking over Beth’s shoulder  
“Huh?”  
Beth turned and caught sight of Julie’s retreating back as she left Max’s cell and looked back to carol, confused.  
“What do you think she wanted?” Beth asked.  
Carol gave her a small smile but didn’t say anything and Beth was sure Carol knew exactly what Julie had been up to. She was about to press Carol for more information when Maggie appeared from the mess.  
“Beth it our turn to make dinner tonight”  
“Ok Maggie I’m coming”  
She gave Carol a smile and made a mental note to ask carol what she meant about Julie later. As she past Max’s cell he gave her a smile, she returned it and continued into the mess.  
“So I’m thinking something simple tonight, how bout vegetable soup?”  
Beth nodded it sounded good, the two sisters walked outside to collect the ingredients from the groups garden, carefully attended to by their father.  
After collecting what they needed Beth and Maggie began to make a soup enough for everyone.  
The smell of soup began wafting up from the pot and reminded Beth of the soup the previous night and smiled to her self.  
“What are you smiling at?” Maggie asked  
“Nothin” Beth replied, blushing.  
“Hmm ok” said Maggie not convinced.  
By the time the soup was ready it was dark and people began filling into the mess, not everyone, some preferred to keep to themselves.  
“Mmm that smells good girls” said Hershel as he approached.  
“Thanks daddy”  
As people took their seats, Max wondered in, grabbing a bowl from the table and let Beth pour soup into it  
“You two made this?” He asked. “Yeah Maggie and I did” Beth replied. “Well I know I’m going like I already know you make a good soup” He left her with a smile, she couldn’t but smile back and he took a offered seat next to Rick and Daryl.  
When was everyone served, Beth and Maggie filled their own bowls and joined Glenn and Hershel. Beth hungry ate her dinner while stealing glances at Max until Maggie caught her looking and stared down into her bowl, only looking up when she heard a loud laugh and saw Julie had sat down next to Max…


	15. Chapter 15

Max shook his head in wonder after Julie had left, and returned to fixing up his cell, hanging up one of the sheets on the cell door. As he was doing so Beth walked past giving him a smile which he returned more than willingly.   
He walked back outside to gather more of his things and noticed Daryl tinkering with a motorcycle. Max wasn’t a bike guy but he knew an impressive machine when he saw one.  
“Nice bike” he announced.  
Daryl glanced up from the bike and looked him over before returning to his work.  
“Yup” he said simply.  
Max already knew he was a man of few words and Max was still a stranger to him, he was about to say something more when Rick and Ty appeared.  
“Max can we have a moment?” Rick asked.  
“Yeah sure what’s up?” Max answered.  
“You said before you had guns and supplies?” Rick asked  
“Yeah that I did”   
“Mind if we see?” Rick asked  
“Yeah no worries”  
He led them over to the Bushmaster, opened the back and climbed inside. He grabbed one of the several tactical bags belonging to his former comrades and passed it out to Rick.  
Rick whistled as he opened it, discovering the pistols and assault rifle inside. Max handed the rest of the bags out to Ty, who lay them on the concrete.  
“You got some impressive hardware here, these all yours?” Rick asked, after he had gone through them all, revealing the rest of the gear, including shotguns, sniper rifles, assorted grenades, more assault rifles and pistols, as well as two bags containing ammo for all the weapons.   
“They used belong to members of my unit at the embassy in DC, I’m the last man standing so I guess I inherited them” Max replied, Rick nodded, understanding.  
He helped Ty and Rick carry the bags inside to their armoury, but deciding to keep his own personal bag in his cell. As he placed the bag on his bunk, the smell of soup wafted through the block and gathered it was almost dinner time.  
He walked into the mess to see several others had the same idea and smiled at Beth as he spotted her across the room, serving the soup from a large pot.  
He crossed the room, took a bowl from a stack and Beth ladled some of the soup.  
“You two made this?” He asked her.  
“Yeah Maggie and I did” Beth replied with a smile.  
“Well I know I’m going like I already know you make a good soup”  
He took the soup and Rick waved him over to sit down with him a Daryl, which he accepted.  
Rick thanked him for the weapons and he began telling a story about a bag of guns he had acquired from his former job at his counties sheriff station, proceeded to lose in the streets of Atlanta and had to make a deal with some survivors to get them back.   
The soup Beth and Maggie had made was delicious and smashed it down, hoping he would get to taste more of Beth’s cooking in the future.   
“Mind if I sit down gents?” asked a voice.   
Max looked up to see Julie smiling down at them, he looked quickly at Rick and Daryl, who shrugged.  
“Ah yeah sure” Max replied.  
She took the empty seat next to him, brushing her arm against his as she did.  
“So how are you finding things so far?” she asked   
“Real good” Max answered  
“Well we are all glad to have you aren’t we guys?”  
Rick just coughed and Daryl didn’t reply, just stood up and walked away without a word.  
“Oh Daryl such a warm guy isn’t he” Julie laughed, loudly.  
Rick just gave a strained smile and Max started get an inkling why, Julie was a little over the top.  
“I um better go check on my children” Rick announced, he stood up and left but not before he gave a Max a warning look.  
“So I guess it just us then” said Julie, the way she said it sounding like she wanted nothing better.  
“Ahh yeah I guess so” replied Max, feeling like he was being forced into a corner.  
“So tell me about your self Max”  
Max politely told his story as Julie hung onto every word. She played with her hair and kept brushing his arm through out the story and Max began to feel like some sort of prey in her eyes. The flirting irked him and if it was in any other situation he may have been flattered but he was tired and just wasn’t interested. She began to tell her story, she was twenty seven divorced from Atlanta and had wound up at a place called Woodbury and then ended up at the prison.  
Max was about to politely excuse himself when he was saved by the appearance of Carol.  
“Hi you two, Julie mind if I speak to you” she asked with a neutral smile on her face.  
“Oh now Carol?” she asked, her own smile fading.  
“Yeah its about the job roster for tomorrow” Carol explained and Julie turned back to him.  
“Go its ok, I’m going to turn in any way” he said, slightly relieved.  
Julie gave him a disappointed look but left with Carol regardless. Max got up and carried his bowl over to the wash up area and handed it to Glenn who was saddled with washing up.  
“Dude I um would watch your self around Julie” Glenn said quietly and Max raised an eyebrow in response.  
“Just trust me dude, she is kinda trouble if you catch me drift” he continued.  
“Ok thanks for the warning”  
“No worries”  
He left Glenn and headed into the cell block, now wanted nothing more than to get some sleep. He caught sight of Beth who was humming softly to Judith in her arms, getting her ready for sleep.   
Beth gave him a small smile but it didn’t reach her eyes and Max felt strangely like he had done something wrong.  
“Good night Beth” he said  
“Good night Max” she replied, but her voice sounded strained and she walked off before he could ask her about it.  
Max decided he would find out tomorrow what was bothering her, he pulled his cell door closed, undressed, climbed into his bunk and before he knew it he was fast asleep.


	16. Chapter 16

Beth couldn’t sleep, she tossed restlessly, cursing her mind. The scene at dinner kept playing through her head and she sighed in frustration, wondering why it bothered her so much. But it did though and she cringed at the image of Julie’s shameless flirting, with her hands stroking Max’s arm. It wasn’t jealously was it?, no it couldn’t be but the thought of Julie being interested in Max made her so mad, would Max succumb to her charms? but even he did its not like she had any claim on him, she was just being stupid, god she only seventeen, a teenage girl with a growing crush on an older man.  
She sighed again in frustration and rolled over once again, shut her eyes and hoped she would finally get some sleep.  
Beth did fall asleep despite all that was going through her head and when morning came she stirred, dressed and headed down to mess get some breakfast.  
“Hey carol” she said  
“Hey sleepyhead, you want some porridge?” teased Carol.  
“Mm thanks” said Beth.  
As she ate at a table, her father, Glenn, Daryl and Sasha came in, ready for a council meeting. Hershel noticed her and walked over.  
“Morning Bethie” he said.  
“Hey daddy” Beth replied in greeting.  
Her father nodded, Daryl grunted and the group left for the admin wing for their council meeting but not before Carol stopped by the table.  
“When you’re finish dear, can you get Max and bring him to the meeting?”  
“Of course” Beth promised.  
“I think he is outside”  
Beth quickly finished off her breakfast and washed up the bowl and went to find Max.  
He was indeed outside, standing and looking out through the fence, down onto the field. She felt a little apprehensive as she approached but he turned as she got closer and gave her a warm smile.  
“Morning”  
“Hey” she said simply, a little off guard by the smile.  
“sleep ok?”  
“Yeah not bad, you?”  
“Yeah great actually, a comfy bed behind thick walls and not having to worry about walkers eating your face of really improves your sleeping habits”  
“Yeah I guess it would” she agreed.  
There was a little lull as they looked at each other and Beth had to know about last night, otherwise it would drive her mad all day.  
“So I saw you talking to Julie last night” Beth said  
“Yeah I couldn’t get away from her, luckily I was rescued by Carol”  
Beth’s heart soared at this new information, she felt a smile spread on her face and suddenly the outlook of the day looked a whole lot brighter.  
“She can be a bit much”  
“Yeah tell me about it” he laughed  
Beth giggled in response, she felt a little bad to be laughing at Julies expense but she couldn’t help but be glad Max didn’t have an apparent interest in Julie. Then she remembered why she out there in the first place.  
“Oh um Carol sent me to bring you to the council meeting”  
“Ok no worries let’s go”  
Beth led him to the admin wing in comfortable silence and stopped outside the room the council used for their meetings, she wanted to say something but instead just smiled and hurried away.  
She came across Maggie with Judith in her arms, the two off them seemed agitated in each other presence.  
“Did you what me to take her?”  
“Oh thanks Beth” Maggie said sounding very relieved.  
She retrieved some of Judith formula and she and Maggie chatted for a while until their father walked into the cell block.  
“Hey Maggie are you up for a run today?” he asked.  
“Sure daddy” Maggie replied  
“Good can you help Glenn and Daryl get ready”  
“Ok” said Maggie and she left the cell block.  
Beth had wondered what job they had assigned Max but it sounded like he was going to be helping out on runs. This made her a little worried, as she knew from very recent personal experience that runs could go bad, and at least at the prison it was safer, behind the fences and brick walls.  
“Max is going on the run?” she asked a little to quickly.  
“Yes dear he volunteered”  
“Oh” she said softly  
“Don’t look so worried Bethie, the man is a soldier he can take care of himself and he keep the others safe as well”  
Beth nodded but she didn’t want to reveal she just worried about him not coming back so she put on a smile to ensure that.  
“I know I’m just thinking about yesterday”  
“Well this is the life we live now, we can’t be afraid of setbacks”  
She knew her father was right but she still felt a little uneasy that that had put Max on run duty after only being at the prison for a day, but everyone had a job to do and now this was Max’s.  
Maggie appeared from the cell she shared with Glenn in her assault gear and Beth followed her outside.  
Daryl, Glenn, Bob and Max were already outside and she wandered up to Max.  
“So um daddy told me you going out on the run today” she said.  
“Yeah he said you need more supplies, so I’m going to help out” he replied.  
“Oh ok”  
“Don’t worry I’m pretty hard to kill, besides I got this puppy to back me up” Max smiled indicating his rifle clipped to his vest as he slapped in a full mag.  
His smile and cockiness eased the feeling in her stomach, he could handle himself, she had seen this first hand.  
“Good make sure it keeps you and the others safe” she said softly  
“Yes mam” max replied with a fake southern drawl and she giggled  
The fake accent sounded bad but anything he said with his real accent sent delightful shivers down her spine.  
“Haha well I’ll see when you get back”  
“Sure will do” he promised  
He said it off hand but she needed him to know she wanted him to come back.  
“Make sure you do” she said.  
“Huh?”  
“make sure you do come back safe ok” she replied looking him in the eye.  
“I promise Beth”...


	17. Chapter 17

The next morning Max wandered down to the mess, he didn’t see Beth but Carol gave him a warm smile as he approached.  
“Hey there, did you have a good sleep?” she asked as she handed him a bowl of porridge.  
“Thanks, very good sleep, first time in ages actually”  
“Glad to hear, when you’re ready the council and I would like to talk to you”  
“The council?” Max asked confused.  
“Yeah our little governing group we make sure everything runs properly, well Hershel does anyway”  
“Ok yeah sure no worries, just let me know when”  
He nodded at carol and headed out side into the warm morning sun spooning the warm porridge into his mouth.  
He wandered over to the inner fence and looked down on the field, taking in the view, from what he gathered was Rick’s pigsty to the crowd of walkers pressing against the outer perimeter fence.  
He heard footsteps behind him and turned to see Beth walking up to him, and couldn't help but like the way the sun lit up her hair and smiled. “Morning” he greeted her.  
“Hey” she said replied.  
“sleep ok?” he asked.  
“Yeah not bad, you?”  
“Yeah great actually, a comfy bed behind thick walls and not having to worry about walkers eating your face of really improves your sleeping habits” he answered  
“Yeah I guess it would”  
Max looked at her and was about to ask her what was bothering her last night but she spoke up before he could.  
“So I saw you talking to Julie last night” Beth said.  
“Yeah I couldn’t get away from her, luckily I was rescued by Carol”  
Suddenly a bright smile appeared on her face and Max could tell she was pleased by his answer and wondered if it had to do with the night before.  
“She can be a bit much” she said  
“Yeah tell me about it” he laughed, smirking.  
“Oh um Carol sent me to bring you to the council meeting” she said suddenly, changing the subject.  
“Ok no worries let’s go”  
Max followed her, liking the way her pony tail flicked as she walked and he found himself staring at her sway again and her tight arse accentuated by her jeans. He chastised himself, looking away just in time as the reached the stairs and he drew level with her.  
Beth led him to the prisons admin wing, leaving him at the door and giving him another brilliant smile as she left. Max opened the door to find Hershel, Carol, Glenn, Daryl and Sasha sitting around a table.  
“Morning Max come sit down” said Hershel, Max nodded and sat down in the empty chair.  
“We just want to officially welcome you to our little community and to thank you again for your help with Beth” said Carol.  
“No worries I was able to help so I did”  
“Wat are ya skills?” asked Daryl bluntly.  
“Where to start ,mostly military based I guess, I spent the better half of 10 years hunting terrorists, and fighting in hot zones throughout the middle east, south east Asia and other countries we weren’t supposed to be in before I was assigned to DC, you put me to work and I won’t let you down”  
“Ok far enuff” said Daryl with a smirk.  
“Well how bout well put you on some runs then go from there?” suggested Hershel and Max nodded in agreement, he would do what he could to help.  
“We might have to go on one today, maybe back to the same town” said Daryl.  
“What about the walkers?” Sasha asked.  
“Hopefully they have moved on by now” said Glenn.  
“We can take my APC” Max suggested.  
“Ok its settled then Max, Glenn and Daryl, take some others and go back today” said Hershel.  
The council excused Max and he returned to his cell, where he snapped on his gun belt, threw on his tactical vest, grabbed his rifle and pack before heading out to the bushmaster.  
Once there he climbed inside and swung open the roof hatch to check the mounted M240 machine gun. The weapon was still operational as far as he could tell without firing it but he would need to find some more ammo for it and climbed back out of the vehicle  
As he felt satisfied the Bushmaster was ready to go Daryl, Bob and Glenn walked up and proceeded to place their thing in the back. Max saw Beth walking towards him with Judith in her arms and smiled at her.  
“So um daddy told me you going out on the run today” she asked him.  
“Yeah he said you need more supplies, so I’m going to help out” he replied.  
“Oh ok”  
Max noticed a look of concern on her face, could it be that she was worried about him going out there?.  
“Don’t worry I’m pretty hard to kill, besides I got this puppy to back me up” Max smiled indicating his rifle on his vest.  
“Good make sure it keeps you and the others safe”  
“Yes mam” Max replied with a fake southern drawl and she giggled.  
“Haha well um I better get this one fed, I’ll see you later” she suggested.  
“Sure will do”  
“Make sure you do” she said.  
“Huh?” he asked, confused.  
“make sure you do come back safe ok” she replied.  
“I promise Beth”  
With that she walked back inside leaving him to interpret those last words of hers.

An hour or so later Max and the crew were entering the outskirts of the town where Max had come across Beth. The main part of the town was still full of walkers when they arrived so they decided to check the outlying suburbs instead, deciding to avoid the town center all together.  
Max parked the APC in a quiet suburban street lined with upper class houses and everyone stepped out weapons ready, but luckily the suburb they had chosen seemed to be walker free, at least for the time being.  
“Ok lets split up, Daryl and I will take this side how bout you three take that side?” suggested Glenn.  
Max agreed, nodded to Maggie and Bob and the three of them walked to the first house. Bob quietly opened the front door and smacked his machete on the door frame while Max and Maggie aimed their weapons through the open door. When nothing came out they entered.  
Max clipped his rifle to his vest and entered the kitchen with Maggie while Bob checked upstairs. He opened the fridge and immediately regretted it as a foul stench wafted out.  
“Oh god what is that?” Maggie asked as Max slammed the fridge shut.  
“Don’t know, don’t want to know”  
“Never check the fridge, at least the cupboards are pretty full”  
She was right, Max checked more cupboards and they were filled with canned goods, jars of pasta sauce and various other packets of food.  
They threw them all into the packs they were carrying, by the time they had collected everything in the kitchen, Bob met them in the front hall.  
“Find anything?” Maggie asked.  
“Not much a few meds and a first aid kit in the bathroom, but I did find a pistol in the bedroom, how bout you guys?”  
“Pretty good the kitchen was well stocked, who ever lived here either took nothing with them or didn’t ever come back”  
They checked the rest of the house but didn’t find anything so they threw what they found in the APC and continued on. It was the same for the next two houses until the fourth house when they checked the basement.  
They cleared the house, it was as empty as the last two but he did find a few packets of crisps.  
“Hey there is a basement” announced Maggie  
Max chucked the crisps in his pack and joined her at the door she had just opened. They peered down into the dark, they heard dripping water and gave each other a look.  
“What do you think?” she asked  
“Alright lets check it out”  
Max unclipped his rifle, switched on the flash light attached to the barrel and made his way down the stairs as the flash light illuminated the room.  
He reached the bottom and the floor was covered in water dripping from a cracked pipe, he swung his rifle around the room and the light picked up jars and jars of preserved food. One of the shelves was knocked over, had split jars and was blocking off some of the shelves.  
“Hey guys get down here I think we just found the mother load” Max called and Maggie came down with Bob holding their own flash lights.  
“Oh shit” said Bob.  
“Must have been some of those doomsday preppers” said Max.  
“What makes you say that?” asked Maggie.  
“Well the food and that” Max replied and ran his light over a large steel gun cabinet on the far wall.  
Max stepped down into the water and it came up past his ankles, the water must have been dripping for a while. He sloshed his way across the room to the cabinet while Bob investigated the shelves. Max grasped the handle but it was locked tight.  
“Locked?” asked Maggie  
Suddenly Bob yelled and loud groans shot out. Both of them spun to see him tangled with a walker that was behind the shelf, it had shoved its arm through and grabbed Bob. He managed to pull himself free but tripped backwards into the water, and more arms pushed through.  
The shelf began to tip as the walkers pushed against it, Bob scuttled back, splashing through the water. Max ran over and caught the shelf before it fell on him. He drew his pistol and fired point blank through the shelves. Maggie rushed up and helped brace the shelf.  
“Bob you clear?” Max yelled.  
“Yeah I’m good” he called.  
“Good, ok, Maggie let the shelf go”  
At the same time the two let the shelf fall, smashing into the water and revealing three walkers that had been trapped between the shelves. With Bob and Maggie’s flash lights lighting them, Max quickly shot them with his pistol.  
He holstered his pistol and held out his hand to Bob, he grabbed it and Max pulled him to his feet.  
“You ok?” he asked.  
“Yeah thanks feel like a fool though” he grinned and Max turned his attention back to the walkers, making sure they were out for good.  
“I think these guys killed each other” Max mused.  
“Huh?” Maggie asked confused.  
“Yeah looks like they killed each other and in the fight one of them must have knocked this shelf over trapping them when they turned” he explained.  
“Hey everyone ok” yelled a voice and Daryl came down the stairs with his crossbow up, followed by Glenn. As Glenn and Maggie embraced, Max searched the walker bodies until he found the key to the gun safe. Inside the safe he found four assault rifles, two shotguns and a hunting rifle.  
The group began carting the finds up and into the APC until they had gathered most of them.  
“I think we should call it, we found an awesome stash but we don’t want to push our luck” suggested Glenn.  
Max agreed, the weapons and food they had found would aid the prison greatly, they still had hours of daylight to search the other houses but they decided to call it a day not wanting to push their luck.  
Max climbed into the drivers seat, Glenn,Daryl and Bob climbed in the back, while Maggie rode shotgun. Max fired up the engine and they headed back to the prison.  
Once they past the city limits and left the town behind, Max couldn’t wait to get back, the little commotion in the basement was just another example he needed to be in a group, that could have easily have been him under that shelf with no one to save him. Saving Beth and now Bob may have just cemented his membership in the prison group.  
“Hey thanks for that back there, really saved my arse” said Bob braking the silence in the vehicle.  
“Nah no thanks necessary, couldn’t just let you die down there” Max replied humbly.  
“Well thanks any way dude”  
Max just nodded to him in the rear view mirror and went back to the road. He was making headway in the trust area and he was going to make sure that trust was well placed.


	18. Chapter 18

Beth stared out at the prison yard and at the gate. They had only just left and she knew she couldn’t just wait here for them to get back. She hoped Maggie would be alright and that they would all return safely, she sighed and fiddled with her wristbands.  
“Something wrong Beth?”  
“Huh?” she said dumbly, snapping from her thoughts to see Carol.  
“Beth?”  
“Oh nothing just a little worried I guess”  
“They going to be fine Beth, Maggie and Glenn and the others will come back you’ll see”  
“Yeah I know”  
“And don’t worry I’m sure Max is going to come back as well”  
Beth quickly looked at her, to see an amused look on carol’s face and blushed slightly  
“What?”  
“Just saying he comes across as a pretty capable guy, you know that first hand” she said  
Beth opened her mouth to reply but was saved by the opening of the main gate, she spun to see Michonne ridding through on her horse with her ever present sword slung on her back.  
“Hey Michonne” Beth called as the woman rode up into the inner yard.  
Michonne smiled and dismounted while Beth grabbed the reins and brushed the horse’s nose. He snorted and she giggled, reminding her of her horse Nelly back on the farm.  
“Any luck out there?” Carol asked Michonne.  
“No sign of him” she replied.  
Beth listen to the two talk as she pulled the saddle off and let the horse lose in the yard before sliding the gate closed. Michonne spent most of her time now looking for the Governor, the thought of the man out there scared Beth a little but it had been months since his attack and he hadn’t made an appearance.  
“So what’s been happening here?” Michonne asked.  
“Well funny you should ask, we have a new addition” Carol replied.  
“Oh?” asked Michonne  
“Yeah the run the day before went south, Beth got her self into a bit of trouble and a young Australian soldier saved her” Carol explained.  
Beth blushed, she didn’t like the story being told, it made her out like a helpless damsel in distress and because that’s how it went down was even more frustrating  
“An Australian huh?, don’t think I’ve even met an one” said Michonne  
“Well he’s a soldier and pretty handsome one too, wouldn’t you agree Beth?” teased Carol  
Beth didn’t say anything but blushed deeply, tried to hide her face and the two woman laughed.  
“Ok now I have to see this man” laughed Michonne.  
“Well you’ll just have to wait, he out on a run with Maggie, Glenn Bob and Daryl”  
“Got him working already as well?”  
Beth walked beside the older women as the three of them headed inside.  
“Are you hungry Michonne? I can make you something” Beth asked.  
“I’m fine Beth, besides you shouldn’t have to dote on me I’m sure you have better things to do” Michonne replied  
Beth smiled and left Carol and Michonne to talk. She made her way to the library to find a new book.  
Beth found the the library filled with the children of the group who were, drawing, talking and reading the few age appropriate books the prison library had to offer. She caught sight of Carl playing with his sister and smiled at them.  
“Hi Beth” called Mika, waving from where she was drawing.  
“Hey Mika” said Beth returning the greeting and walking over to her.  
“What are you drawing?” she asked the girl.  
“My old house, see there is mum and dad and me and Lizzy” she replied Mika showing Beth the drawing, a memory of a happy time in Mika’s life.  
“That’s really good Mika” praised  
“Thank you, so what are you doing Beth?” Mika asked with a smile.  
“Well I was hoping to find a book to read” Beth replied  
“Are you going to read it with Max?” she asked with a giggle.  
Beth blinked in shock at the younger girl and all the children turned to look her, eager for her answer, even Carl seemed to be listening in.  
“Don’t be stupid he’s to old for Beth” said Carl snidely  
The comment stung but she knew Carl was right, Max was too old for her and would in no way see her that way but it still hurt.  
“So?, he’s really cute though” retorted Mika.  
There was a chorus of giggles and Beth couldn’t help but smile at them, knowing she wasn’t going to be able to say anything to change their minds.  
“But what about Zach? he’s cute too?” added Lizzie and the giggles continued  
“Ok everyone settle down I’m sure Beth doesn’t want us talking about who she likes” said Carl, sounding every bit like his father and Beth was thankful for his support and she retreated into the book stacks. She began humming softly to her self as she looked over the books and after about half an hour she decided on Treasure Island, she had read it once before but would enjoy reading it again. She picked one of the empty couches and curled up in it and began to read.  
Beth lost track of time as she become lost in the novel and only looked up when she noticed Zach enter the library. He spotted and his grin widened, making a bee line for her  
“Hey Beth” he greeted her happily.  
“Hi Zach” Beth replied cautiously.  
“So um Beth can we talk?” he asked.  
“Aren’t we talking now?” asked Beth, trying to play coy.  
“Well yeah but I was hoping you um thought about what I said yesterday?”  
Beth almost sighed, what was she going to say?, she wanted to let him down easily but also wanted to do it somewhere there wasn’t several eager ears listening in. She was about to say something, anything when luck shined her way and Judith started crying.  
Beth almost praised the girls timing, she used it as an excuse to escape Zach, jumped off the couch and walked over to pick her up from where she was sitting with Carl.  
“There, there Judy it all right” she soothed.  
Without and glance at Zach, she left the library with Judith in her arms. Beth wasn’t sure what she was going to do about Zach, he wasn’t going to take a hint any time soon and she wouldn’t be able to use Judith as an escape forever.  
As she wandered back to the cell block Judith stopped crying but she was still restless and Beth began singing to her. Judith relaxed instantly, closed her eyes and thankfully, lulled to sleep. Beth kept singing and rocking her gently, making sure the girl was well and truly asleep before putting her down in her crib.  
As she walked back and forth, she turned and stopped mid chorus as she saw Max standing in the cell block with a slight smile on his face.  
“Oh hey you’re back” she said, happy he was back but a little embarrassed he had caught her singing.  
“Yeah I promised I would”  
“Do you run into any trouble?” she asked a little fearfully.  
“Well there was a little trouble but nothing we couldn’t handle”  
“Oh good, no one hurt?” she asked.  
“Nah except maybe Bob’s pride” he replied.  
“Why?” she asked confused.  
“Well there is more too it but short answer he literally fell on his arse”  
“Really?” she said with a raised eyebrow.  
“Yeah not exactly funny but no injuries and we did find a good stash of food and supplies enough to last us a while” he explained.  
Beth nodded at the information, she was happy that they managed to find some supplies but if she wasn’t honest she was more relieved that no one had been killed or hurt and that Max had kept his promise to return safely.


	19. Chapter 19

The drive back to the prison was uneventful and Max relaxed in the drivers seat as the Bushmaster powered down the road. Glenn and Bob were talking in the back, crammed in among the boxes, discussing the best parts of the old days. Max and Maggie exchanged glances, listening to the guys and both smirked.  
“Max I don’t think I really thanked you for saving Beth” she said.  
“No thanks necessary" Max replied humbly.  
“Well thanks anyway, I wasn’t ok when Beth wanted to go on that run, I knew she wasn’t ready and I was devastated when she didn’t return”  
Max didn’t reply, not sure what to say but had a feeling Maggie had more to say on the subject and stayed silent.  
“She shouldn’t be going on runs, she’s not exactly qualified for the job” she continued. Max sighed internally, Maggie obviously had some issues she needed to sort out concerning Beth and Max thought she was selling her sister short but it certainly wasn’t his place to to tell her that. Maggie wrapped up in her rant, plunged on.  
“I mean she is only seventeen for gods sake”  
Max let that sink in and didn’t know how exactly to process it. He had gathered Beth was in her late teens and if he was honest with himself perhaps a little younger. He felt little disgusted with himself, even though his thoughts weren’t lustful and would never act on them he still felt uncomfortable thinking about Beth in anyway that wasn’t acceptable.  
“Oh geeze I’m sorry you don’t need me tearin you ear off” she apologising, looking sheepishly as she saw the expression on his face, but thankfully misreading it.  
“Its ok”  
“No you don’t need to listen to me prattle I just worry about her and I don’t know what I would do if I lost another family member” she said  
“Nah it’s fine, you care about your family”  
The settled into a comfortable silence only filled with the sounds of Glenn and Bob trying to get Daryl to talk about what he did before but failing miserably.  
“So Max what’s Australia like?” asked Glenn poking his head into the cab.  
“Huh?” asked Max put on the spot.  
“Glenn don’t be an idiot” scolded Maggie  
“What I’ve never been out of the states and now never will, Max is the first person I’ve met from another country”  
“Ok far enough Glenn, what did you want to know?” Max laughed.  
“I heard that everything there wants to kill you?”  
he asked with all seriousness. “Heh yeah I guess, we have our fair share of snakes, spiders and crocs but its not like some super dangerous wasteland, well maybe now it is”  
he replied. Glenn seemed to be happy with the answer and returned his seat. Max began to reminisce in his head about his former home, he hadn’t been back for years, even before the outbreak. Max wondered if he would ever return, giving anything to know the situation there. Max shook himself he couldn’t get sidelined by the impossible and needed to focus on the present. He gripped the steering wheel and applied a little more gas.  
The prison gates soon appeared and Max drove though as the gates opened and parked up in the courtyard. He stepped out and was greeted by Rick, Ty and a few others Max hadn’t official met yet.  
“How did it go?” Rick asked  
“Actually not bad Rick, we found a nice score” said Maggie  
“Any trouble?”  
“Nah nothing we couldn’t handle” said Daryl with a smirk.  
Max offered to help unload the Bushmaster but Rick insisted he and the rest of the run crew to relax. Maggie grabbed Glenn hand and the disappeared off somewhere and Daryl headed off to find Carol, so Max wandered to the mess to grab a snack. Once inside he heard someone singing and was drawn to the angelic voice and he stopped short when he saw it was Beth.  
She was rocking Judith in her arms and singing a song he didn’t recognise, the whole scene mesmerised him, he found her voice intoxicating and all the thoughts that had been plaguing him reared up and realised he was fucked. He shouldn’t have these feelings rising up inside him but he was fighting a losing battle.


	20. Chapter 20

A few hours after Max and the others had returned Beth wandered into the mess in time for dinner, her father waved her over to his table where he and Carol were sitting.  
“Evening” she said happily as she sat down.  
“Hello Bethie” said her father.  
Maggie and Glenn joined them and shortly after the dinner crew began to serve up. She noticed Max had decided to sit at Ty and Sasha’s table she felt a little disappointed he hadn’t chosen her table but smiled at him anyway as he looked over.  
She tried to sneak looks at him as she ate, barely listening to the conversations happening around her.  
“Your foods going to go cold Beth if you keep staring” said Carol in her ear.  
Startled, she dropped her fork into her bowl making a loud clattering sound and everyone at the table looked at her in surprise.  
Beth felt her face heat up and looked down trying to hide her embarrassment as they all went back to what they were doing.  
“Sorry Beth I didn’t mean to scare you” carol whispered.  
“I-I wasn’t staring” she tried to explained.  
“Don’t worry Beth its ok” she soothed with a smile on her face.  
“It is?” she whispered back  
“yeah just be more subtly about it” she replied.  
“What are you two whispering about?” her father asked from across the table.   
“Just a little girls talk Hershel” carol answered, nudging Beth and Beth couldn’t help but giggle in response.  
Dinner was soon over, Beth stood up and started collecting bowls and cutlery off people, including Max who inquired why she was washing up again and explained the swap with Glenn.  
She had gotten about half of the bowls and cutlery and turned back to get the rest when Max placed them down on the wash up table next to her.   
“Need a hand with these?” he asked her as he put his dishes on the table next to the ones she had collected.  
“Oh its ok, Carol’s meant to help I think” she replied shyly.  
“Ahh she.. ” he began but trailed off.  
“Yeah I think she may have palmed the job of to me” he said said finally  
“Really?” she said with a giggle and Beth had an inkling why and felt her heart leap a little.  
“Yeah I think so” he replied and laughed as well.  
“Well ok then, did you want to wash or dry” she asked.  
Soon the tub they used to wash up in was filled with hot water and Max began to wash up the bowls, he handed her the washed her one and their fingers brushed and she almost let it drop as a spark of energy surged between them.  
“So what did you want to do after you finished school?” he asked her suddenly braking the weird vibe.  
“What?” she asked, still confused by the moment and now the question even more so.  
“You know after school, what did you want to be?” he repeated.  
The question actually threw her, the was no society any more so no school but if the outbreak had never happen Beth gathered she would probably have go to university to study music.  
“That’s a weird question, but I guess I wanted to study music” she replied  
“Music huh?, well you do have the voice for it”  
She blushed at this praise, and she don’t think anyone besides her father or sister had complemented her singing voice.   
“What about you?” she asked changing the subject to hide the blush filling her cheeks.  
“Nah can’t sing to save my life” he joked  
“No, I mean did you always want to join the military?”   
“I wanted to become a pilot like my dad” he replied.  
“Oh cool, and fly around the world?” she asked taking another plate.  
“Yeah something like that”  
“So do you have family back in Australia? " she asked   
“I did" he replied softly.  
“Did?” she asked.  
she looked up confused, then she understood completely and wished she hadn’t asked the question.   
“Yeah my parents died in my teens, my father was a chopper pilot in the army and when he retired, he and my mother started up a charter/sightseeing business, and then bout 6 months after I turned 18 they died in a plane crash" he said heavily  
“Oh I'm sorry” she said softly touching his arm.  
"It's alright it happened a long time ago, after they died, I sold the business and enlisted, and soon I was recruited by the SAS" he explained.  
“I know what its like to lose family, I lost my mother and brother” she revealed.  
“Sorry to hear that Beth” he said warmly  
“I’m ok now, but it was tough for a while”   
The she thought back images of her mother and Shawn stumbling out of the barn and being cut down by Shane and the others. She reached down to the scar she had subsequently given her self shortly after.  
They returned washing and drying in a comfortable silence she kept looking up at him to find him looking back until the final dish was washed.  
“Um thanks for the help” she said as she placed the bowl in the box they kept them.  
“Hey no worries”  
They both looked at each other, their job was finished but she didn’t want to move from the spot but knew she couldn’t just stand there forever.  
“So um I better go see if Judith needs putting to sleep” Beth said finally.  
“Ok I’ll catch you later”  
She smiled one last time and headed out of the mess her head spinning she had wanted to stay longer but she didn’t want to end up saying something embarrassing, so she came out with that true but lame excuse.  
Her heart had broke when he told her about his family and she scolded her self but it had swelled a little when he had said he had no one that might be waiting for him.  
She found Carol on the catwalk, Carol holding Judith and smiled at the older woman as she talked to the little girl.  
“Did you enjoy washing up Beth?” she asked smugly.  
“Yes I did actually” she replied, trying to gauge what carol was actually up to.  
“Well good” she said smiling.  
She was about to question carol about the whole thing, the staring and why she told asked Max to help her, when Judith stirred in Carols arms but thankful didn’t start crying.  
“Did you want me to take her?” she asked   
“No it ok I’ve got this you go get some sleep Beth”  
Beth smiled at Carol, tickled Judith and retired to her bunk. As she undressed and hopped into bed, the conversation with Max played over in her head and she wondered how the next few days were going to unfold.


	21. Chapter 21

A week had past since he had arrived at the prison and Max found himself settling in nicely, everyone welcomed him with open arms and he thoroughly enjoyed having people to talk to again but with all those things there was one thing that was beginning to bother him and that was his growing attraction to Beth. She seemed to be everywhere, she just had to smile and he weakened.  
He was throwing his pack into the back of the bushmaster, getting ready for a run that day when she appeared behind him.  
“Hey” she said.  
It was just a simple greeting but the way she said in that sweet voice of all gave it more meaning.  
“Hey your self” Max replied.  
“You going on another run?” she asked.  
“Yep sure am”  
“Oh good, um I was wondering if you get me something?, if you can't don't worry” she asked with a hopeful voice.  
“Yeah sure”  
“I need a new journal, I’ve filled my current one up” she explained.  
“You keep a diary?” Max asked, intrigued.  
“Yeah when I can” she replied sounding embarrassed.  
“That’s cool Beth, I wouldn’t have the patience, ‘dear diary, woke up, worlds still fucked” Max said and she giggled.  
“I mostly just do it to get my thoughts out” she said.  
“Nah that’s awesome Beth, yeah I look out for one I promise”  
“thanks so much Max” she replied sweetly.  
Max was about to reply when the door C block opened and Maggie, Glenn and Michonne appeared, all geared up.  
“Beth?” Maggie asked as she saw Beth.  
“Oh I just wanted to wish you guys luck” Beth said and Max wondered why she lied.  
Maggie seemed to see through the lie as well as she raised an raised an eyebrow but didn’t press any further.  
“Ok lets go” Glenn suggested.  
With one last look at Beth, Max climbed into the bushmaster, started the engine and proceeded to drive down to the gate.  
A few hours later Max and Michonne were searching through a general store that had mostly been picked clean grabbing what they could. Max swept down the dimly lit aisles scanning the near empty shelves, he came to the stationary section and stopped when he saw it completely full. Not much use for pens and pads in this world he mused, he threw some crayons and coloured pencils for the kids into his pack. A blue notebook caught his eye and he picked it up, the front was covered in little music notes He held it for a moment wondering if he should get it when Michonne came up beside him.  
“Find something?” she asked  
“Um yeah got stuff for the kids pencils and shit, guess they need paper as well” he coughed out  
“hmm very thoughtful big man, but you might want to get some plain paper, that looks too good for the kids” she said.  
“Ahh yeah Beth mentioned said needed a new notebook”  
Max just stared at her and a grin appeared on her face as she picked up some plain paper pads putting them in her pack.  
“She’ll love it, its perfect” she said giving him a knowing look.  
Max opened his mouth to try some damage control but they were interrupted by Glenn coming into the store.  
“Hey guys lets finish up, we should get back” Glenn announced.  
Max couldn’t agree more, he slipped the book into his thigh pocket and followed him outside, wishing Michonne would wipe that smile off her face.  
Max, Glenn, Michonne and Maggie climbed into Max’s APC and began the trip back to the prison  
“You guys find anything interesting?” Glenn asked after they had been driving for a bit  
“hmm not really how bout you Max?” Michonne asked as he touched his thigh pocket.  
Max didn’t answer but grunted non committally and tried to focus on driving, but Michonne wasn’t making it easy plus the note book felt like it was burning a hole in his leg.  
“Ok, yeah we didn’t find much either, we might have to cross this town off” said Michonne, thankfully changing the subject.  
“You checked out the other towns around?” Max asked  
“Not all of them we’ll try one of them next run” Michonne explained.  
Half an hour later they arrived at the prison gates, Max waited for Carl and Daryl to open the gate, he drove through, up to the main buildings and shut down the engine. He stepped down from the APC and stretched, the others following suit. He began helping them unloading their finds but Michonne stopped him.  
“Don’t worry we got this, don’t you have a gift to give?”  
Max gave her a look and felt his face warm but didn’t argue. He left them to finish up and went to find Beth. As he walked inside he checked his pocket for the tenth time since he put the notebook there, he found Carol in the mess helping make dinner.  
“Hey Max, you guys are back” she called  
“Yeah just now” Max answered  
“No trouble I hope?” she asked  
“No not this time” Max replied.  
“Have you seen Beth?” he asked as normally as he could.  
“Yeah I think she’s up in the library” Carol replied with a smile.  
Max thanked her and left for the library, glad that she hadn’t asked why he was asking about the teen girl.  
He found Beth in the library like Carol had promised, she was lying on a couch dressed in a tank top and a small pair of shorts, intently reading a book.The late afternoon sun pouring through the windows lit up her hair and she was chewing slightly on her necklace. His mouth went dry as he gazed across her bare legs that seemed go on forever and an image of them wrapped around him flashed through his head.  
“Max?” she said, noticing him and fixed him with a smile  
“Hey” he managed and crossed the room to join her hoping she hadn’t caught him staring at he. She swung her legs off the couch and he couldn’t help but glance between them as she did.  
“How did the run go?” she asked, giving no indication of what he had done.  
“Yeah very good and I found you a note book” he  
“Really?” she asked  
He pulled the notebook from his pocket and handed it to her. Her eyes lit up as she took it and smiled brightly.  
“Oh wow Max thanks”  
“No worries, it was nothing” he replied humbly  
“Max it wasn’t nothing its really nice” she said softly and touched his arm.  
Her touch was electrifying and wished he could return it. God, he needed to get a grip he thought.  
“Well um I gotta get going promised I would help Daryl with something” he lied  
“Ok I’ll catch you later” she said, sounding like she believed it.  
Max practicality fled the room and once he was far away enough he rested his head against the brick wall. He felt despicable, he was lusting after a seventeen year old girl, a girl that knocked him off his feet without even trying, he was going to have to solve his problem and fast.


	22. Chapter 22

Beth couldn’t believe it had been a week since that fateful run that had brought Max into her life. She found her self seeking him out even just to catch a glimpse of him, but tried to do so subtlety, to keep her growing crush a secret.  
She was having a lazy morning with Carol watching Judith and having no responsibility till later, she was catching up on her journal entries. She finished off the entry of the day before she realised the notebook was almost full, with only a few pages left. Beth guessed she could write in or on anything but she would prefer a actual notebook and sighed, she had already searched through the admin wing for books and pads to write in months ago.  
“Catching up on your diary?” asked a voice.  
Beth looked up and smiled at her father came into her cell.  
“Yeah I’ve missed a few days” she replied  
“Well you’ve had a couple exciting days” he said with a smile  
She couldn’t agree more, the few entries she had written were a lot more interesting than months of ones before them and her growing feelings for Max had taken most of them, not that she would admit that to her father.  
“So are you still planing to help me in the garden?” he asked.  
“Of course daddy” she replied.  
“Good and I hope Maggie finds some seeds today I want to plant some more, get a nice variety going”  
“There is another run?” she asked.  
“Yes Maggie, Glenn, Michonne and Max are heading out now” he explained.  
Suddenly Beth had a solution to her problem, she excused her self explaining to her father that she wanted speak to Maggie before they went and rushed outside to the courtyard.  
She didn’t find Maggie but she did find Max preparing to go and decided to ask Max instead if he could find her a note book, hoping he would say yes.  
To her surprise he said he would and blushed when he liked the idea of her keeping a journal and even more when she thought about the fact that she was writing about him. She turned at the appearance of Maggie who asked her why she was there and Beth suddenly felt like she was doing something wrong and lied why she was there.  
Beth could tell Maggie didn’t believe her but didn’t ask any more and departed with the others. Beth watched them leave, hoping once again they would stay safe and come back safe. She walked over to the prison garden and found her father had already started.  
“Ready to get started Bethie?” he called.  
She nodded and went to get changed into her work clothes and returned to help him. Beth worked happily side by side with her father as they pruned some of the plants and removed the weeds to ensure the plants they wanted ample growing room.  
“Hmm this coming along nicely” he said after a while.  
“Yeah I didn’t think we would be growing a garden after everything we have been through” she said  
It was true, after everything thing that had happened at the farm and then the months moving from place to place, even after finding the prison she never thought it would last long enough for it feel like home but here they were a thriving little community and it was becoming more like a home everyday, she had her own room and she had her family.  
“Yes we have been through a lot” he mused but he smiled at her and she grinned back.  
They went back to their work and Beth began humming softly, picking one of her fathers favourite songs, but she soon stopped and groaned as she saw Zach walk up, knowing exactly what he was going to ask and hoped her fathers presence would deter him.  
“Hi Beth, hello Mr Greene” he greeted them.  
“Hey Zach” said Beth being polite.  
“Something we can help you with young man?” her father asked curiously.  
“Oh um I was hoping I could talk to you sir” Zach replied, sounding nervous.  
Beth fixed her father with a pained look and hoped he would get the message and send him away or better yet scare him off for good.  
“About what exactly?” her father asked.  
“I like your daughter Mr Greene and I wish to ask for your permission to date her sir” Zach blurted out boldly.  
Beth almost choked as he said this and felt her face heat up. She wished she could be anywhere else at that moment, and not here covered in dirt and being asked out by a boy she didn’t want to date, in front of her father.  
“Well that’s hardly up to me, I think my daughter would have to decide that” he said softly and the two looked at her expectantly.  
“Um Zach you are really nice but um I don’t like you that way” she said finally, trying to let him down as best she could with out hurting his feelings to much.  
“Well son I think you have your answer”  
Zach looked crestfallen and slunk wordlessly away. Beth felt bad but Zach had it coming, she had given him so many hints that she wasn’t interested so it wasn’t her fault he wouldn’t listen.  
“I wouldn’t trust that boy with you anyway” her father muttered.  
“Who would you trust daddy?” Beth asked more quickly than she should have.  
“There will be no one good enough for you until one is, and who ever that is would have to be make you happy and protect you and more importantly, love you without question” he said.  
Beth blushed at his words, knowing they came from his heart and brought up memories of her mother and wondered if he missed her as much as she did.  
“Well when I meet him I hope he does all those things” she said.  
“I’m sure he will other wise he’ll have your father to deal with” he growled and she giggled.  
The thought of him defending her honour made her love him even more. Then she had a strange thought of Max asking him for his permission to date her and she smiled to her self, but knowing that could never happen, her father would never allow it but it still made her heart flutter.  
“Well Bethie how bout we call it a day?” he suggested.  
“Ok daddy sounds good”  
Beth brushed off her dirty hands on her jeans and headed inside to wash her hands. She bumped Sasha and the woman stopped her.  
“Hey I saw Zach talking to you and Hershel and now he looks like someone died” Sasha asked.  
“Oh um yeah he asked me out and I turned him down” Beth replied, sounding embarrassed.  
“Really he finally asked you out and in front of your father?” Sasha asked incredulously.  
“Yeah”  
“Huh how bout that?, well maybe Zach will leave you alone now, he’s not right for you anyway” said Sasha.  
Sasha was now the second person to voice their concerns about her and Zach and wondered who else felt the same way.  
“Well yeah I guess I’m still on the market” she joked.  
Sasha gave her a small smile, excused herself and Beth continued onto her cell to grab her shower bag, towel and a change of clothes and then headed to the shower block. Once freshly showered and changed she headed up to the library to finish off Treasure Island.  
She was almost done with the final chapter when she looked up to see Max standing there looking at her and she got the feeling he was checking her out.  
“Max?” she called out to him.  
“Hey” he replied and walked over to her.  
“How did the run go?” she asked him.  
“Yeah very good and I found you a note book” he replied  
She had almost forgotten she had asked him to look for one, not knowing if he would even find one or bother to but he had kept yet another promise and her heart fluttered again.  
“Really?” she asked him.  
He reached his pocket and pulled out a blue notebook and passed it to her, she took it and turned it over in her hands. It had little silver music notes on the front cover and she smiled in delight, she would have been happy with any note book but this one was more than perfect.  
“Oh wow Max thanks” she said.  
“No worries, it was nothing” he replied sounding humble.  
“Max it wasn’t nothing its really nice” she said softly and reached to touch his arm wishing she could keep it there longer.  
“Well um I gotta get going promised I would help Daryl with something” he said in a strange tone  
“Ok I’ll catch you later” she said.  
Beth watched him leave, then clutched the notebook to her chest and found herself giggling excitedly. She wouldn’t be able to concentrate at all the finish her book now so made her way back to her cell. She was so lost in her thoughts she almost ran head long into Maggie outside Beth’s cell.  
“Whoa there Beth, look much” she laughed.  
“Haha” Beth laughed back, brushing past her and into her cell.  
“Hey what’s that?” Maggie asked, indicating the notebook in her hand.  
“Nothing” Beth said quickly, trying to hide it.  
“Huh?, Beth what is it?” she asked and grabbed it from her.  
“Maggie!” Beth exclaimed.  
“Hey this is a really nice notebook, why did you try to hide it?” she asked.  
Beth didn’t answer and didn’t know why, all she had to say Max got for her but saying that out loud might sound bad on Max’s part especially to Maggie.  
“Beth?” Maggie pressed.  
“Max got it for me” Beth answered finally  
“Max got it for you?, why would he do that?” Maggie asked, her voice suspicious.  
“Its no big deal Maggie, my current one is filled up so I asked him to get one if he could” Beth explained beginning to get flustered and snatched the notebook back.  
“Ok Beth I believe you but why did you try to hide it?” Maggie asked.  
“I dunno” Beth said and trailed off.  
“Wait Beth you like him don’t you?” Maggie asked quietly and realisation sparked in her eyes.  
Beth blushed and looked at her feet, not daring her self to look her sister in her eyes but knowing it was too late having already betrayed herself.  
“Beth you do like don’t you” said Maggie and Beth snapped her eyes up  
“I don’t know, maybe?” Beth admitted softly.  
“Beth he is too old for you, he is a grown man beside the fact you’ve only known him a week”  
Beth knew she was right but she couldn’t help her feelings for Max and know idea what to do about it.  
“Listen Beth I understand, he saved you and he is cute and fascinating but your only seventeen”  
“I’ll be eighteen soon” she said exasperated.  
”Beth that doesn’t matter, he is still too old for you ok, you need to face facts” Maggie snapped  
Beth sighed and felt crushed, she sat down heavily on the bunk.  
“Hey, hey Beth hey its ok don’t cry” Maggie soothed and put her arm around her.  
“I’m not crying Maggie, I just thought I could have what you have with Glenn” she said angrily  
“And you will, just not with Max, what about Zach huh?, he obviously has a thing for you” Maggie said in a softer tone.  
“Maggie he asked me out today” Beth said simply.  
“What? Really? and what did you say?” Maggie asked with a smile.  
“I said no I don’t like him at all Maggie even if he is closer to my age” Beth replied.  
“Well maybe think about it” Maggie said smugly.  
“Maggie I think I would kinda like to be alone for a bit” Beth asked and lay down on the bunk and curled up her legs.  
“Ok Beth I’ll go. Maggie said sadly.  
Maggie left and Beth stared at the wall, sighing heavily. Maggie didn’t understand, she wasn’t going to settle for Zach because he was age appropriate and the only other choice. No that wasn’t going to happen, a new energy surged through her and she decided she was going to wallow in self pity, she was going to make the best of things. Beth picked up notebook and smiled again, she couldn’t deny her feelings and why should she?..


	23. Chapter 23

Max's mind felt like mud after he left the library, the image of Beth, her legs and the way she smiled and touched him was burned into his memory. He wondered if it was a mistake getting her the notebook, it could have sent the wrong signals and he hoped it wouldn’t bite him in the arse later.  
He wandered back outside and saw Rick and Carl feeding their pigs and decided to join them.  
“Hey there Max” Rick said warmly as Max reached them.  
“Afternoon guys, how are the pigs today?” he asked.  
“Pigs are doing fine thanks for asking, how did the run go?” Rick asked.  
“Yeah ok I guess didn’t really find much” Max replied wistfully.  
“Can’t win them all I guess, that’s why we have to we need the garden and the pigs”  
Max couldn’t agree more, he couldn’t go back to living out there, moving from place to place again. Here at least behind the fences there was a far better chance of survival.  
Speaking of the fences , the poles they had set up to strengthen the fences seemed to be doing their job but a mass of walkers still pressed up against the fences regardless. Rick noticed him looking and sighed.  
“Its almost like they can detect the living” he said.  
“Yeah, weird huh?” Max agreed.  
Before they could get into a deeper conversation on the nature of the undead horde at the gates, Sasha walked up needing to discuss something with Rick and the two left.  
“Hey Max can I ask you a favour?” Carl asked.  
“Yeah sure Carl” he replied.  
“If you out on a run and you see any comic books, could you bring them back?” Carl asked  
“Comic books huh?, what’s your favourite DC or Marvel or do you go for the independents?” Max asked and Carl gave him a bright look and smiled.  
“You know comic books?” Carl asked  
“Yeah sure mate I was a kid once, and still like them, my favourite characters are Batman, Wolverine, and Deadpool”  
“I like all those mine are X-men and Spiderman” Carl admitted.  
“Alright cool, ok if I see them or any comic books all bring em back” promised Max.  
Carl thanked him and took off saying he needed to go check on his sister and Max followed after him, passing Julie, who gave him a smile and a wave and Max returned it.  
A few hours later at diner he found himself sitting at the Greene table after being invited by Hershel and he felt a strange vibe seemed to be radiating between the two Greens sisters. When ever Beth would try to catch his eye Maggie would look at her and Beth would quickly look away and he began to suspect something was up.  
He got his answer after dinner had been cleared away, Beth made a motion to stay longer but Max caught Maggie giving her a stern look and with a quick glance at Max she excused her self and walked over to Rick’s table to pick up Judith from his hands, Hershel and Glenn departed as well and then it was just Maggie and himself at the table.  
“Listen Max I know you got Beth that notebook” she said.  
“I didn’t mean to cause any trouble” he began.  
“I I know that, it's ok really, just next time let me look after my sister” she said pointedly.  
She didn’t have to say it but the message was loud and clear, Maggie wanted him to stay away from Beth. He had been right, the notebook had bit him in the arse but it was a wake up call that he had been ignoring. Beth was beyond off limits and what ever it was he felt for her needed to be squashed.  
“You two look like you need a drink” said a voice, braking the tension.  
Max looked up into the smiling face of Julie who was holding a half full bottle of whiskey and some glasses.  
“Ehh not for me” said Maggie and stood up to leave.  
“How bout you Max?” she asked teasingly.  
Max looked at her in a new light, she was indeed a strikingly beautiful woman obviously interested in him and was way more closer to his age. She was the complete opposite to Beth and maybe that’s exactly what he needed.  
“Yeah why not?” he said and indicated for her to sit down.  
An hour later and one drink had turned into many and a drunk Max sat with a drunker Julie as they proceeded to finish off the bottle between them in the darkened, empty mess.  
“I’m glad you decided to have a drink with me” she giggled softly.  
She was almost in his lap and had her arm around him, pressing her large breasts into him and in his drunken state Max was enjoying it.  
“So am I” he whispered back.  
He poured the last of the bottle and handed it to her, she took it with a smile and quickly finished it off.  
“Well what are we going to to now?” she asked teasingly.  
Max knew exactly what she wanted to do, Max decided to go for it and he lent in and kissed her.  
“I don’t know?, what did you have in mind?” he asked.  
Julie looked at him with hunger and lust in her eyes and slipped her hand into his crotch.  
“I want you to take me back to your cell and fuck me” she replied.  
Max didn’t need any more convincing and quickly pulled her to her feet and they stumbled to his cell. Once inside, Julie reached into his pants and grasped his cock as he groaned in response.  
“Mmm I want this in me Max” she whispered.  
They quickly undressed and Julie lay back on the bunk spreading her legs and rubbed her already wet pussy. There was no need for nicety or foreplay, he was now hard as a rock and needed to be in her. He climbed onto top of her and thrust his cock into her, groaning as he did.  
“Oh my god” she gasped as he bottomed out.  
“Like that?” he growled in her ear.  
“Oh shit yes, fuck me stud, make me cum on your big cock” she demanded.  
Max began to thrust in an out of her tight pussy and watched as her tits bounced in time with his thrusts. He took one in his mouth, running his tongue over her nipple and she sighed in delight.  
“Yes fuck yeah like, god your cock feels so good” she moaned.  
He wasn’t going to last long, due to his inebriated state and the fact she was the first woman he had fucked since the start of the outbreak, but he kept going despite this, wanting her to cum before he did. He didn’t have to worry as Julie seemed to be enjoying herself immensely and soon announced she was cumming.  
Max felt her seize up and a flood of wetness coat his cock and that set himself off, he pulled out just in time and spilled on her thighs. Julie pulled him into a kiss and Max collapsed next to her as she used her panties to wipe his cum off her legs.  
“Oh shit that was amazing Max, we are definitely doing this again” she said happily.  
“Yeah you liked it?” he asked.  
“Oh god yes, best fuck I’ve had in a while” she exclaimed.  
She busied herself with her clothes and Max realised she wasn’t staying but he wasn’t offended, Julie finished dressing, gave him a deep kiss and left.  
Max smiled to himself, and hoped now he would be able to push Beth Greene out of his head for good, he rolled over and passed out.


	24. Chapter 24

Beth fumed in her cell, she had put down Judith to sleep and was readying herself for bed. She had tried her best to catch Max’s attention during dinner but every time she did, Maggie had stared her down and Beth ending up leaving, extremely disappointed. She slipped into her bunk and tossed and turned for a while before throwing off her sheet in frustration and got up to get a drink of water.  
As she quietly slipped out of her cell, she froze as she caught sight of Julie stumbling out of Max’s cell, adjusting her clothes.  
Beth’s breath caught in her chest and her heart fell, she knew exactly knew what had just happened, knowing what the adults got up to in the late hours of the night, living in such close proximity to each other she had heard the moans and noises constantly.   
She backed into her cell and collapsed onto her bunk, her world crashing down around her. She felt tears leaking down her cheeks and wiped at them angrily. How could he do that? she thought, Beth knew she a lot younger than Max but still, how could he pick Julie over her so quickly?, he barely knew her.   
Beth’s fantasy’s over the last week eroded away in her mind, now that there was no way they could come true. She was just a stupid naive girl with a school girl crush on a older man that would never see her that way.   
She cried into her pillow, soaking it with her tears until she could cry no more and fell into a restless sleep filled nightmares.  
Beth woke the next morning feeling completely devastated and felt like she was going to cry again. She dressed in a daze and walked to the mess but she didn’t think she had the appetite to eat anything. She was so distracted she almost didn’t notice Carol talking to her.  
“Are you alright Beth?” she asked, sounding concerned.  
“Huh?” Beth stammered stupidly, her voice sounding horse.   
“Is everything ok?” she asked again.  
“Um yeah I’m all good,” she lied  
“Well ok” Carol said with a raised eyebrow, not believing her   
“Um have you seen Maggie?” she asked changing the subject.  
“Yes, she is out side with Glenn” Carol answered.  
Beth thanked Carol and walked outside, blinking at the bright morning sun. she quickly found Maggie sitting with Glenn and walked up to them.   
“Beth what’s the matter?” Maggie asked as she saw Beth’s face.   
“Can I talk to you?” she asked quietly.  
Maggie gave Glenn a look, he excused himself and Maggie patted the bench beside her.  
“Tell me what’s wrong Beth” she asked   
“Its about Max” Beth replied  
“What about him?” Maggie asked sharply  
“You were right ok” Beth replied softly, the words catching in her throat as a sob fought its way out.  
“Beth what happened?” Maggie asked softly.  
Beth told her what she had seen the night before and Maggie pulled her into a warm hug.  
“Well I am sorry Beth but it’s for best, you’ll see” Maggie said, kissing the top of her head.  
Beth nodded, once again she knew Maggie was right but it was still hard to accept.  
“I know” she said sadly.  
“Listen how bout a make you breakfast and we spend the day together, just the two of us, like old times huh?” Maggie suggested  
Beth perked up and smiled at her sisters attempt to cheer her up, it did sound good and she was going to need some comfort today.  
“Yeah that sounds nice” she agreed  
“Ok come on”  
Maggie took her hand and led back into the mess, where she made Beth some breakfast for them and they took a table together and soon they were chatting away, Maggie telling Beth about her own heartbreaking crushes of her own including one she had in university, on an older man, her professor.  
“Wait you had a crush on your professor?” Beth asked.   
“Yeah I did, my first year, he was Professor Mather and was very handsome” Maggie replied, smiling.   
Beth giggled and she felt a little better to know her sister had once been in the same situation   
“But was just a crush Beth, it didn’t go anywhere” she said in a more serous voice.   
“Ok Maggie I get it” said Beth holding up her hands in surrender but still smiling.  
“Well alright then” said Maggie.  
Beth was feeling a lot happier now, Max being pushed from her mind but it didn’t last long as he suddenly walked into the mess. Her face dropped and the little bit of happiness she had managed to grab faded away.  
“Morning” he said, sounding and looking tired.  
Maggie returned his greeting but Beth couldn’t, only giving a stare. He didn’t seem to pick up on it and went to make himself breakfast.  
“Come on Beth lets go” Maggie suggested   
Beth agreed and the two of them left the mess but not before she gave Max one last look as he took their vacated table, he gave her a small smile in return and she fled with Maggie before he could say anything.


	25. Chapter 25

Max groaned as he woke, the familiar feeling of a hangover pounding in his head. He sat up and rubbed his temple as the events of the night before flooded through his mind, the taste of the whiskey and Julie moaning under him. He had to admit, the sex had been great but he felt nothing for Julie and knew he wouldn’t have slept with her if alcohol wasn’t involved. If his plan was going to work he was going to have to get used to some rough mornings. He sighed and pulled on some pants and headed to get some breakfast.   
He paused as he saw Maggie and Beth sitting at one of tables eating breakfast. Beth looked beautiful as usual as she laughed and talked with her sister and once again those feelings stirred up again despite what he did last night to curb them.   
Beth noticed him, her expression changed and her smile disappeared. Max was thrown by it he needed to get something into his stomach and proceeded to greet the two Greene sisters.   
Max barely heard Maggie’s returned greeting as Beth fixed him with a cold stare and didn’t say anything. He couldn’t dwell on it as the two got up to leave so he grabbed something to eat and took their table. Beth and Maggie made their way outside but not before Beth looked back with a look that looked a lot like betrayal.  
He ate his food in silence, Beth’s parting look plaguing his mind. Max finished up his breakfast and headed to the armoury to check and clean his weapons making sure they were in working order for the next run.  
After cleaning his personal weapons, his ACR rifle and his Colt 45., Max proceeded to unzip and go through the tactical bags acquired from his fallen team mates and began laying the weapons out on the floor.  
All up there was a G-36s assault rifle, an m-14 semi auto rifle, two Mossberg combat shotguns, a H&K UMP SMG, two H&K 9mm handguns, a SAW light machine gun and finally, a Barrett 50 cal sniper rifle.  
He spent the next few hours stripping and cleaning them all before reassembling them and filled mags for all of them. He had just finished putting the weapons back in their bags, ready for when they were needed, when Julie appeared at the door with a smile on her face.   
“Well hi there handsome, I’ve been looking all over for you” she said.  
“Hey Julie” said Max.   
“So I had fun last night” she said smiling   
“Yeah me too” he said, not exactly lying but not really the truth either.  
“Good, hey its all most lunch time I thought we could eat together”  
“Yeah sounds good” he replied politely.   
Max walked with Julie to the mess, with her brushing her arm against him constantly making his shoulder shiver but not in a good way.  
The mess was already filled with a dozen or so, who all turned as the two of them walked in together and Max felt like he was back in high school as they smirked and whispered, no doubt about to start rumours they were a couple now.  
“Over here guys” called Glenn from a table.  
He was sitting with Hershel, Maggie and Beth. They all smiled warmly in greeting except Beth whose just smiled sadly. Max considered refusing but Julie was already sitting down next to Maggie and he took the empty seat next to Beth, who looked away as he did.  
Lunch was venison chilli, another kill curtsey of Daryl. Max was starving and dug in, trying to ignore the strange tension radiating off Beth.  
“So you two got a bit cosy last night, are you two a couple now?” Maggie asked with a smirk, referring to Max and Julie.   
Max almost choked on his food, completely caught off guard by the question. He felt trapped as they all looked at him waiting for his answer, including Beth.   
“Hmm I don’t know what do you think honey?” Julie asked sweetly.   
“Ahh” he began, feeling trapped.  
“Oh relax Max I’m just messing with you, I think it might be too early to answer that” Julie said laughing.  
The table joined her and Max felt a weight lift off him and everyone returned to their lunch and engaged in other conversations.  
While the others were distracted he turned to the silent Beth who was picking at her food and had been all along.  
“You alright?” he asked.   
She didn’t answer and kept pushing her food around her bowl.  
“Hey you mad at me or something?” he asked softly.  
She seemed startled by the question and Max swore he saw her eyes water before she finally answered.  
“No, why would I be made at you?” she replied softly, with a hint of anger in her voice.  
“I don’t know you just seem angry and you can hardly look me in the eye”  
“I’m not mad at you Max” she said.  
He was about about to question more but caught Maggie looking at him out of the corner of her eye as she talked to Julie and and focused on finishing his food.  
Once everything had been cleared, Beth excused herself and walked off. Max waited a few minutes then excused himself after promising Julie he would see her later and headed off in the same direction Beth took. He found her sitting on the steps outside her cell and she looked distressed as he approached her.  
“What do want Max?” she asked coldly.  
“I just want know what’s really wrong” Max asked.  
“I’m fine Max” she snapped and angry look crossed her face.  
Max knew better than to continue and decided to make a tactical retreat.  
“Ok Beth” he said soothingly and held up his hands in surrender and turned to leave but as he did he heard her speak up.   
“Do you like Julie?” .  
The question was said quietly but Max picked up sadness and hurt in her voice.  
“Huh?” he asked spinning back to face her.  
“Do you like her? are you going to be a couple?” she asked.  
Max was frozen to the spot as she looked at him, her bottom lip was quivering and her eyes were watery. Why was she so concerned if he was going to start a relationship with Julie? he asked himself, and why did it look like she was going to cry over it?. The questions spun through his head, then suddenly it clicked as a revelation shot through him like lightning and everything came clear.   
She liked him!, Beth liked him and not as a friend but in a romantic way. It explained everything the looks, the way she acted around him and the conversation he was currently having.   
Max didn’t what to do next, his mouth went dry, his tongue felt heavy and his mind began to shut down.   
“I ahh um not sure I didn’t exactly plan last night, it just kinda happened” he finally answered after what he felt was an eternity.  
“Oh?” she asked and her face perked up.   
“Yeah” he replied.  
“So um will you be seeing her again tonight?” she asked hesitantly with barely hidden hopefulness in her voice.  
Max didn’t want to crush her but he didn’t want to get her hopes up either. Nothing could happen between them even if they both maybe wanted it, she was only seventeen and still very off limits.   
“Yeah probably not, but don’t tell Julie that” he said.  
His answer was like the calm after a storm, the tension in the room evaporated away and a bright smile appeared on her face.  
“I promise I won’t” she said.  
“Alright well I better go, stuff to do” he said.   
“Ok I’ll catch you later?” she asked, still smiling.   
“Yeah”  
With that Max left, heading off with no destination particular, his mind in a haze. He needed fresh air then a drink or two. He looked at his watch and wondered if drinking so early in the afternoon was a good idea but he was going to need something to calm his nerves and figure out his next move..


	26. Chapter 26

After Beth had retreated from the mess and from Max, she and Maggie were soon greeted by their father who was tending to the garden.   
“Good morning girls” he called and they walked over to him.  
“Morning daddy” the two of them said at the same time.  
“What’s the matter Bethie?” he asked with concern.  
Beth blushed, nothing got past her father and began to quickly think up a lie, not wanting him to know the real reason she was upset.  
“She’s just a little tired daddy” said Maggie and Beth smiled at her.  
“Bad dreams?” he asked Beth, concerned.  
“Something like that” she replied.  
“Well you make sure you get to bed early tonight then” he suggested warmly.   
“Ok daddy I’ll try” she promised  
“Good, now how bout my two girls help me today?”  
Maggie turned to Beth to see what she thought and Beth just shrugged, it would keep her busy and distracted. And sure enough a few hours had passed as the Greene’s worked together and Beth hadn’t thought of Max once.  
“Well you’ve cheered up” Maggie said as she and Beth planted another new seed.  
“Yeah” Beth admitted with a smile.   
“Well look who it is” Maggie whispered.  
Beth looked and groaned at what she was referring to. Zach was walking across the courtyard with a few others heading down to begin fence duty, all with sharpened pipes and poles to easily kill the walkers massing against the fences.  
“Really Maggie?” she whispered back.  
“Ok ok I’m sorry just trying to help” Maggie smiled and held up her hands in surrender.  
“Well stop” Beth pleaded.  
“What are you two whispering about?” Hershel asked, startling them.   
“Nothing” they both said at once.  
“Hmm ok you two keep you secrets, well I think its almost time for lunch so how we finish up?” he suggested and Beth and Maggie agreed.  
“Ok girls I’ll see you inside” their father said and walked off.  
“So what now?” Maggie asked as she wiped her hands on her jeans.  
Beth didn’t get the chance to answer as Julie walked up with a big smile on her face and Beth was shattered again, the image of Julie walking out of Max’s cell coming flooding back.   
“Have you seen Max?” she asked as she reached them.  
“Yeah saw him this morning don’t know where he is now though” Maggie answered.  
“Ok thanks” she said and left them.  
Beth scowled at her at her departing back, never hating someone more at that point.   
“She’s such a slut” she muttered.  
“Beth!” Maggie exclaimed  
“Sorry” Beth said, but not feeling sorry at all.  
“Look Beth I know you feel hurt but you are going to have to get over it” Maggie soothed and Beth just sighed.   
“Come on lets clean up and head in for lunch I heard carol made chili”  
Nothing sounded appealing to Beth but she followed her sister anyway. They washed their hands in one of the water drums and made their way inside, taking a table and were joined by Herschel and Glenn.  
As the chili Carol had made was served, Max walked in with Julie close by his side, who was beaming happily. Beth’s heart sunk further and almost considered just getting up and leaving as Glenn called them over to sit but hesitated too long.  
Beth groaned internally as Max sat next to her, yesterday she would have welcomed it but now not so much.  
“So you two got a bit cosy last night, are you two a couple now?” she heard Maggie say.   
Beth’s breath caught in her chest and jerked her head up from her bowl to throw Maggie an incredulous look.  
“Hmm I don’t know, what do you think honey?” Julie asked with a sickly sweet voice and Max made a strangled response.  
“Oh relax Max I’m just messing with you, I think it might be too early to answer that” Julie said and laughing.  
Beth didn’t join in the laughter that erupted, not finding it funny in the slightest and looked down as the others began talking among each other.  
“You alright?” Beth heard Max ask her.  
She ignored him, pushing her chili around her bowl with her fork hoping he would get the hint she didn’t want to talk.   
“Hey you mad at me or something?” he asked.  
The question surprised her because he was right, she was mad at him but couldn’t admit it without revealing why she was mad at him.  
“No, why would I be made at you?” she replied quietly.  
“I don’t know you just seem angry and you can hardly look me in the eye” he replied.  
“I’m not mad at you Max” she said, hoping he would believe the lie.  
He seemed to accept it, returned to his food and they ate in silence until everyone had finished up. As soon as the wash crew had collected the empty bowls and cutlery, Beth excused her self and fled the mess.  
She sat down on the steps in front of her cell and wanted to scream in frustration but before she even could, she looked up to see Max had followed her and she wondered how this day could get any worse.   
“What do want Max?” she asked coldly.  
“I just want know what’s really wrong” he asked her.  
“I’m fine Max” she snapped  
“Ok Beth” he said softly, he looked defeated, he held up his hands and turned to leave.  
She felt bad for snapping at him, it wasn’t really his fault she was angry at him and she knew couldn’t be mad at him forever but she couldn’t just let go of her feelings for him and she needed to know something before it was too late.   
“Do you like Julie?” she asked quietly to his back.   
“Huh?” he asked confused, turning around.  
“Do you like her? are you going to be a couple?” she asked, feeling her lip quivering as she waited his answer.   
“I ahh um not sure, I didn’t exactly plan last night, it just kinda happened” he replied after a long pause.  
“Oh?” she asked, a little confused but her heart skipped a little.  
“Yeah” he replied.  
“So um will you be seeing her again tonight?” she asked, not wanting to push the issue but she still had to know.  
“Yeah probably not, but don’t tell Julie that” he said.  
Beth’s heart sung and a wave of happiness flooded through her, he wasn’t interested in Julie romantically and she couldn’t have been more happy by the information.   
“I promise I won’t” she replied.   
“Alright well I better go, stuff to do” he said.  
“Ok I’ll catch you later?” she asked, still smiling.  
“Yeah”  
With that he walked off and Beth almost let out a giggle. She ducked into her cell and leaped onto her bunk as her body shook with excitement. Beth took a few deep breaths and calmed her self down, it didn’t mean anything yet, it didn’t mean he felt what he felt for her but she refused to let that bring her down, wanting and needing to ride out her high.   
She noticed the notebook Max had gotten her sitting on her desk and quickly grabbed it and a pen, wanting the first entry to be about the moment while it was fresh. Her fingers trembled as she wrote, describing the day in great detail and giggled softly when she had finished, Beth decided that the notebook would only be about Max and hoped to fill it with more exciting entries in the coming days.


	27. Chapter 27

Max was lost in his own world as the Bushmaster powered down the road. The conversation with Beth the previous day still playing through his head, the way her beautiful blue eyes lit up and the smile that spread across her face when he told her he wasn’t interested in Julie was burned into his memory.  
The girl liked him and had been angry at him for hooking up with Julie. Max wasn’t sure what to do with the information. It had kept him off guard for the rest of the day and during dinner. He had decided to sit with Rick, Carl and Michonne that night, he could tell Julie was unimpressed at his decision but he didn’t care as he caught the smiles Beth kept throwing him from her table. Julie hadn’t searched him out afterwards so he was able to keep his promise to Beth and had slept alone.  
“Earth to Max? you in there buddy?” called a voice, bringing back to the present.  
He turned to see Sasha looking at him with an amused look on her face.  
“Huh?” he asked and she laughed.  
She was riding shotgun while Daryl, Bob and Ty rode in the back while Maggie, Glenn and Rick were following close behind in an SUV. The council had decided another run was needed, hoping to find gasoline for the vehicles and more ammo and supplies, so Max and the others were currently heading for several gas stations that Daryl and Michonne had scouted out, hoping to find any fuel at all.  
“I was asking if you ever visited the White house, you were stationed in DC weren’t you?” Sasha asked.  
“The White house?, yeah couple of times with the ambassador on official business” Max replied.  
“That’s pretty cool” she said, impressed  
“Yeah I guess it was, I didn’t really get to see much though” Max replied.  
“Did you ever meet the president?” she asked.  
“Nah never did” Max replied  
“Well it’s still pretty cool” Sasha said.  
“What’s pretty cool” asked Bob from the back  
“Max here has been to the white house” Sasha explained  
“No shit, really?” Bob asked.  
Max just nodded and thought back to his time in Washington, protecting and escorting the ambassador and other visiting Australian dignitaries had been a far easier assignment than he had been accustomed to but he was a war fighter at heart and would have returned to where ever he was really needed if civilisation hadn’t collapsed. 

The first gas station had been a bust, having been drained dry long ago, it was the same with the second and the group decided if the the third proved fruitless they would return to the prison.  
Max pulled the Bushmaster into the last gas stations parking lot and noticed a dozen or so walkers crowding around the main building, attracted by something inside.  
Half of the walkers turned and stumbled towards them as Max stopped the Bushmaster and the others pulled up beside them.  
“Well looks like we got company” Max announced  
He heard the back door open and the guys in the back leap out, Max swung open his door and jumped down, grabbing his rifle, aimed and fired on the closest walker.  
As it went down, its companions joined it as the rest of the group quickly took them down and then took on the remaining walkers, now attracted by the gunshots.  
Once the walkers had been completely dispatched, Daryl, Bob and Ty set up a perimeter. Rick, Maggie and Glenn started to check the pumps and the tanks while Max and Sasha checked out what the walkers were so interested in.  
The gas station store’s glass door windows were covered in grime, cracks and were almost opaque as Max and Sasha peered through. Max could see the doors had been jammed closed from the inside.  
“Watch your eyes” he warned Sasha.  
He lifted the stock of his rifle, smacked the door and it shattered, allowing them to step through.  
Max swung his rifle around the store and stopped when he came across a man slumped against the service counter, he had a unmoving girl cradled against him and was aiming a pistol directly at Max and Sasha.  
“Easy buddy” Max said softly.  
Max eased his finger off his rifle trigger, lowered the rifle and the man dropped his pistol.  
“You need help?” he asked the man.  
“Its too late for me” he muttered and pulled at his shirt, revealing a large bite wound on his shoulder.  
“Is the girl alright?” Sasha asked but Max could tell the girl was dead.   
“She was” he replied.  
Max felt even though the man was on the way out he was no threat, gave Sasha a look indicating he had this and she went to help the others and then he carefully approached the dying man.   
“You military?, you carry yourself as a military man” he asked Max.  
“Yeah, I was Australian special forces” Max replied.  
“Really?, I was an Army ranger myself” the man said, pulling his sleeve up to reveal an army ranger tattoo.  
“Ranger huh?, yeah you guys are some tough dudes” Max said, smiling.  
The man laughed and then grimaced in pain, Max crouched in front of him, concerned.  
“Don’t worry not dead yet and you have my permission to put a bullet in my head if I do” he said  
“Duly noted”  
“John Colter,” the man introduced himself and held out his hand and Max shook it.  
“Max Knight” Max replied.  
“Well Max Knight is nice to meet a fellow soldier again” John said and Max sat down next to him.  
“Likewise” Max replied  
“So you came looking for gas like me?” John asked.   
“Yeah”   
“Got here a few hours ago, my daughter and I” he said, referring to the girl.  
“I’m sorry about your daughter mate, how old was she?” Max said softly  
Tears sprang in John’s eyes and Max wished he hadn’t asked the question.  
“She would have been fifteen this year, we were surrounded as soon as we got here and I couldn’t save her, got this trying to” he explained, pointing at his bite.  
Max gathered John must have dragged his daughter inside, barricaded the door and prepared for the end.  
“I’ve been trying to blow my brains out, just can’t do it” he said angrily.  
Max didn’t reply and let the former ranger have has dying words.  
“I was an army man all my life, but my best days were the day I married my wife and the day my daughter was born and I tried my hardest to be the best father and husband I could be”   
He fumbled at his shirt pocket and pulled out a crumpled photograph and handed it to Max. It showed John standing next to a stunning blonde woman and the young girl he cradled in his arms.  
“That’s them, lost my wife in the outbreak, my daughter and I stayed on the road for a while till we met up with some other survivors, we are all that’s left, well I’m all that’s left” he said, sadly correcting himself .   
“I’m real sorry mate”  
“You got someone Max?” John asked and Max shook his head.  
“Well If you find someone, you hold on to them, because war dogs like us need something to fight for, someone to fight for, other wise we are nothing” he said   
Max nodded in agreement, having spent all those months alone before Beth and the prison, a soldier needed a mission to feel whole.   
He noticed John had gone deathly quiet and turned to see the man’s head down and he wasn’t moving.  
“John?” Max asked.  
Max reached out to check his pulse, keeping one hand on his pistol. He was dead, finally succumb to his wounds, Max drew his knife and stabbed him to prevent John reanimating.  
“A ranger till the end” Max whispered.  
“He dead?” asked a voice and Max looked up to see Rick and Sasha standing at the door.  
“Yeah” Max replied sadly.  
Rick helped him carry John's body and they buried him along side his daughter in the ground before the group collected what they could and set off back to the prison.  
Johns last words echoed through Max’s head as he drove and they hit hard. He did have something and someone to fight for and that was Beth Greene…


	28. Chapter 28

Beth smiled as she sat with Judith, laughing as the girl played excitedly with a stuffed toy duck. It had been a far better day then the previous one, she had woken refreshed and excited for the day was now happily minding Judith in the library.  
“Do you like the ducky Judith?” Beth asked.  
The girl giggled and shoved the toy in her mouth and Beth laughed.  
They had been playing for an hour or so since Rick and the others had departed on a run, as usual Max had gone with them.  
Beth smiled to herself as she thought of Max, now knowing he didn’t like Julie and wouldn’t be seeing her again. At dinner afterwards he had kept his word, he had sat at Ricks table and Julie hadn’t joined him making Beth even happier.  
Beth looked up and smiled as Carol entered the room followed by Mika, Lizzie and the other children, ready for their daily lessons.  
“Well someone is happier today” said Carol.  
“Yeah she is” Beth replied.  
“Not her, you” said Carol.  
Beth blushed and turned back to Judith not wanting to see the expression on Carol’s face.  
“Well children lets get started then” said Carol and they ran to the carpet and sat down.  
Beth decided to take Judith somewhere else not wanting to disturb the lesson and carried Judith outside into the mid-morning sun.  
“Lets go see the pigs” Beth suggested to Judith and began walking down to the sty.  
Beth could make out Carl tending to the pigs, waved and Carl waved back.  
“Look Judy it’s your big brother” Beth said, pointing at him and the girl gurgled.  
Carl smiled as the two reached him and gave his sister a little tickle.  
“She ok?” Carl asked.  
“She’s fine, we just came to check on the pigs” Beth replied.  
Judith giggled loudly as Beth held her over the fence to see the animals running around and squealing.  
“Do you want me to take her?” Carl asked.  
“Its ok” Beth replied truthfully  
“Oh I don’t mind I’m done here and I probably should be doing my brotherly duties” Carl continued.  
Beth nodded and handed Judith to him, who smiled and reached up to touch her brothers face.  
Beth grinned at the scene and left them. She decided go help who ever was on laundry duty, knowing she needed to wash some of her own clothes.  
Doing laundry was far different now, no washing machines or dryers so clothes had to be washed by hand.  
She grabbed the bundle of her dirty clothes and headed to the laundry area. The group had set out several large metal tubs for washing and they were now occupied by several people all chatting and laughing as they sloshed wet clothes around.  
They greeted Beth as she approached and she took the last empty tub. Patrick, who was helping with the laundry duties offered to fill the tub for her and she got to work.  
Once all had been scrubbed and washed, she hung the clothes on the lines Ty and Rick had strung up, let them dry and began to help the others.  
By the time all the clothes and linen had been washed and hung out it was time for lunch and Beth headed into the mess and joined her father at his table.  
“You are looking better today” he said as she sat down.  
“Thanks daddy I feel better” she answered.  
“Well good” he said smiling.  
They talked as they ate and when they finished eating she excused her self, grabbed a book from her cell and went to read outside till the clothes were all dried.  
It didn’t take long and was mid afternoon as Beth collected her things, folded them and then helped the others.  
Returning inside with her things and some fresh sheets she passed by Max’s empty cell and wondered if he’s sheets needed changing. She dumped her clothes and went back to Max’s cell with a clean sheet.  
Beth felt like she was intruding but a feeling of excitement replaced it as she looked over his cell. She dropped the fresh sheet on his mattress and picked up one of his shirts hung over a chair and smelt it, finding Max’s scent slightly intoxicating then giggled as she realised what she had just done.  
She turned to change his sheet and grabbed the pack sitting on the mattress. The pack opened and a small stack of photos fell, scattering on the floor. Beth quickly retrieved them, curiosity got the better of her and she began to look through them. They were all photos of Max posing with other soldiers in front of tanks and helicopters smiling and brandishing weapons. She was so engrossed in the pictures that she jumped in fright as Max walked in. Beth froze as Max noticed her and knowing she had been caught red handed, she jumped up quickly with the photos still in her hand.  
“Oh I’m sorry um I wasn’t snooping, I wanted to see if you wanted your sheets changed and they fell to the floor” she gushed, her words all coming out in one go.  
She expected him to be angry maybe even yell but he didn’t just looked at her curiously.  
“Its ok Beth I don’t mind, you can look, they are only photos” he said.  
“I am sorry, their your private things and I shouldn’t have looked at them” Beth replied, now completely embarrassed.  
“Hey, hey its fine really” he soothed and sat down next to her.  
She was still embarrassed but suddenly being alone with him in his cell made her heart beat even faster and she felt a warm a fuzzy feeling set over her.  
“Did you want to look through the rest?” he asked.  
She knew she should just politely decline and leave but she found her self nodding, she did want to see the rest of the photos but she just wanted to be close to Max more. Beth flipped to the next photo, which showed a group of soldiers walking down a bombed out street.  
“Was it scary over there?” she asked softly, looking up at him.  
“Some times it could get a little unnerving but I had some of the best soldiers watching my back” he replied.  
Beth nodded and went back to the photos and almost sighed as she looked at the last one. It was an older one of a shirtless Max on a beach, wading in the surf.  
“The ocean looks so blue” she said smiling, trying not to look just at him and flicked her eyes to the real thing sitting so close her.  
“Yeah this was taken way back while I had some leave and spent some time back home” he explained.  
“I’ve never been to the beach” she admitted sadly.  
“No?” he asked.  
“No I barely left my home town” she replied.  
“Well maybe you’ll get to a beach one day” he promised.  
Beth fixed him with a smile she knew he was just cheering her up but liked that he actually wanted to do so and could so easily. She handed the stack of photos to him and stood up to leave.  
“Thanks for showing me them” she said, pausing at the door.  
“No worries Beth any time” he said warmly.  
“Well um I’ll see you at dinner?” Beth asked, knowing she would but wanted to ask anyway.  
“Yeah save me a spot” he replied with a smile.  
She assured him she would and walked off leaving him with a smile, wishing it was dinner all ready.


	29. Chapter 29

The journey back to the prison was without interruption or trouble, there was no need to check other gas station as Rick had found a several drums of gasoline that were now stowed in the Bushmaster.  
John Colter’s vehicle had provided them with some food and some weapons and ammo. The group were thankful for the ammo, Max felt wrong about looting from a fellow soldier but the former ranger no longer needed his things and would have wanted them to take them.  
The group would put good use to the scavenged items but the advice John had given with his last breath was the most important thing taken that day.  
Max still believed nothing could happen between Beth and himself, but it didn’t mean he couldn’t protect her as a friend.   
The prison appeared, Max slowed as he reached the gates and waited as they were open and drove up to the hill.  
The run group and Max unloaded what they had found and stored them away. Max headed inside and stopped dead when he saw Beth sitting inside his cell, flicking through the photos he kept in his pack.  
Just as he promised himself nothing could happen, here she was in his cell, looking radiant as ever and suddenly an image of her lying naked on his bed flashed through his head.  
Beth noticed him and jumped up, her face now pale and looking guilty.   
“Oh I’m sorry um I wasn’t snooping, I wanted to see if you wanted your sheets changed and they fell to the floor” she stammered.  
Beth did look genuinely sorry but at that moment Max wouldn’t have care if she had been snooping.   
“Its ok Beth I don’t mind, you can look, they are only photos” he said.  
“I am sorry, their your private things and I shouldn’t have looked at them” she said still sounding embarrassed.   
Hey, hey its fine really” he said softly and sat down on the bunk next to her.  
Max knew he should tell her to leave, having Beth alone in his cell even in the day time was treading on dangerous ground but he wanted her to stay and heard him self asking if she wanted to keep looking at the photos that were still in her hand and she nodded in response.   
The next photo was of his former squad before the embassy assignment, taken in a town just outside of Baghdad, it had been the morning after a massive bombing run and his squad was combing the streets looking for remaining combatants.  
“Was it scary over there?” she asked him.  
“Some times it could get a little unnerving but I had some of the best soldiers watching my back” he replied.  
Max’s heart almost stopped as she flipped to the last photo, he had forgotten it was in there, not that it was inappropriate but it was of him in just shorts taken on a beach near his home town while on some leave.   
“The ocean looks so blue” she said and he caught her eyes flicker from the photo and over to him.  
“Yeah this was taken way back while I had some leave and spent some time back home” he explained.  
“I’ve never been to the beach” she said with a sad voice.  
“No?” he asked.  
“No I barely left my home town” she replied.  
“Well maybe you’ll get to a beach one day” he promised.  
The thought of Beth frolicking in the waves in a bikini made him harden slightly and wished he could just drive her to the coast so she could see the ocean. She smiled brightly at him as she handed the stack of photos to him and then stood up to leave.   
“Thanks for showing me them” she said as pausing at the door.  
“No worries Beth any time” he replied.  
“Well um I’ll see you at dinner?” Beth asked, her voice hesitant.  
“Yeah save me a spot” he replied with a smile.  
She smiled again and walked away. Once again Beth had left Max’s head spinning and in a turmoil.  
He was still reeling as he walked into the mess later on in the evening. He served himself some food then spotted Beth sitting with her father as usual, he didn’t know if he should join them but Hershel noticed him and waved him over.  
“Come sit down son” he said, Beth gave him a bright smile and he took the empty seat next to her.  
“Hey” she said shyly.  
“Hey” he replied.  
“I heard you came across someone on the run, a soldier” Hershel said and Beth looked at him, intrigued  
“Yeah guy had been bitten before we got there, he didn’t last long” Max replied.  
“Sorry to hear that” Hershel   
Max nodded and he turned to Beth, who gave him a reassuring smile and Max smiled back.   
Glenn then walked in, grabbed a plate of food and walked over but didn’t sit down  
“Maggie’s not feeling well, I’m going to take her some food” he explained.  
“She ok?” Hershel asked.  
“I think so, I think she’s just tired”   
“I’ll come with you” said Hershel and stood to follow.  
Max wondered if Beth would go with him but she didn't move and Hershel walked off leaving the two of them alone. There was a silence between them and Max knew he should say something but before he could, she spoke up.   
“Thanks for showing me those photos today” she said.  
“Hey no worries” he replied humbly.  
“Did you really mean what you said about visiting a beach one day?” she asked.  
“Yeah sure, anything could happen, this whole undead business might blow over and if not I’ll take you out to the coast myself” he replied, voicing what he had wanted to do earlier.  
“You would do that?” she asked, with a teasing smile.  
“Yeah if you ask me nicely” he replied, returning her teasing smile and she giggled, blushing.  
“Max will you take me too see the ocean?” she asked, smiling, placing her hand on his arm and looked up at him with her eyes wide.  
“Sure thing we’ll go tomorrow make sure you pack your bikini” he joked.  
As soon as he said it he thought he had crossed a line, but a small smile played across her lips and he relaxed.   
“Well I don’t have a bikini so I hope I can get one there” she said.  
They both laughed and then he noticed her slide ever so slightly towards him, so that their legs were touching. Max pretended not to notice and looked around the room, tying to act normal. His eyes locked with Zach’s who was sitting across the room and Zach glared back, a dark expression on his face.   
“What the fuck is his problem?” Max muttered to him self.  
“Huh?” asked Beth   
“Zach, he’s giving me the death stare” Max replied.  
As she looked up to see what he was talking about, Zach quickly averted his eyes.  
“Oh he is probably a little jealous you are sitting here” she explained.  
“How so?” Max asked, now intrigued and she blushed.  
“He um likes me and he asked me out the other day” she replied.  
“Really?” Max asked, raising an eyebrow.  
“yeah but I turned him down i don’t think he is mature enough for me” she replied.  
She said it offhand and Max knew she wasn’t talking about his personality, was yet another subtle hint of her crush on him?, he was about to comment when Carol and Patrick walked over collection dishes.  
“Hey guys, finished?” Carol asked with an amused smile on her face.  
“Yeah” Max and Beth said at once and they both looked at each other and laughed.  
Carol’s smile widened and Patrick took their empty dishes and took them away. Beth stood up and made to leave and Max wondered if she was leaving because of Carol.   
“I should probably go check on Maggie but um I had a nice dinner tonight Max ” she said smiling.  
“Yeah same here, I’ll catch you later” Max said.  
She turned and left, walking off, pausing before she walked through the door to look back, blushing as she saw Max was watching her.  
“You’re real good to her Max, she needs that” Carol said.   
“Just being a good friend” Max said back, feeling his face warm.  
“Well regardless, she needs someone like you in her life” Carol said knowingly and left him with a smile to help Patrick.  
Max stared at her trying to interpret what exactly she had meant. He realised he was staring into space, shook himself and stood up from the empty table and headed outside to clear his head.  
He breathed in the fresh night air and waved in greeting to Ty, who was on night watch duty up in the guard tower and he waved back.   
“Hey stranger” said a voice behind him and he turned to see Julie walking up to him.   
“Evenin’” Max greeted her in return.  
“So I was thinking you and me go somewhere private” she suggested seductively.  
She ran her hand down his chest and gave him a smile. Max needed to make it clear to Julie that he wasn’t interested in her and let her down easily without hurting her feelings to bad.  
“Yeah look Julie, the other night was fun but I think it was a one time thing” he said, taking her hand gently and pushed her away.  
“Really?” she asked and a scowl crossed her face.  
“Yeah sorry” he replied.   
“You got the hots for that little blonde jail bait don’t you?” she sneered.  
“Julie lets not do this” Max said calmly, not wanting to ignite the situation.   
“I saw how you were looking at her tonight, how do you think her family would feel if they knew you were lusting after her” she said angrily.  
Max just stared her down, what she saying hit home but he wasn’t about to be bested by this woman.  
“Walk away Julie” he said calmly as he could.  
Julie gave him one last disgusted look and stormed off. Max shook his head, took a deep breath and headed off inside to his cell. He had probably just dodged a bullet and felt a little relived about it, Max didn’t think Julie would say anything and even if she did, he hadn’t given the group a reason not to trust him around Beth. He checked to see if Beth was still up but her sheet was pulled across her door and decided not to intrude. He slipped into his own cell, switched on his little battery lamp and grabbed the book had been reading a and settled in to read.  
A few hours later, the words on the page began to blur and he knew it was time to turn in, needing a bookmark, he saw the stack of photos and reached for them, intending to use them as one. As he grabbed them he quickly flicked through them, then stopped when he realised one was missing, the one of him on the beach and knew it could only be one person who took it. Max smiled and decided he would let Beth keep it for a while before bringing it up. He put the photos in the book, rolled over and closed his eyes. As Max fell asleep, theories flooded his mind of why Beth had taken the photo.


	30. Chapter 30

Dinner came quicker than expected and Beth smiled excitedly to her self as she entered the mess, grabbed a plate of food and joined her father at his table.  
“Well aren’t you looking happy tonight”  
Beth smiled but knew she could never tell her father why she was so happy and that reason walked in. Beth watched Max get his food then look around the room, they locked eyes and she smiled at him. Her father called him over and she was delighted he took the seat next to her.  
“Hey” she said to him.  
Beth cursed herself, for it was the only thing she could think of to say but he returned the greeting.   
“I heard you came across someone on the run, a soldier” her father said.  
Beth looked at Max, this was news to her, he hadn’t mentioned anything before about the run.  
“Yeah guy had been bitten before we got there, he didn’t last long” Max replied.  
“Sorry to hear that” Hershel.  
Max looked at her and she gave him a warm smile and wanted to touch his arm to comfort him.  
Glenn then suddenly walked in, he grabbed a plate of food and walked over but he didn’t sit down.  
“Maggie’s not feeling well, I’m going to take her some food” he explained and Beth grew concerned.  
“She ok?” her father asked.  
“I think so, I think she’s just tired” Glenn replied and Beth relaxed.  
“I’ll come with you” her father said and proceeded to follow Glenn out.  
Beth considered following but she gathered Maggie would be alright and besides she didn’t want to leave Max alone, especially with Julie sitting in the room.  
“Thanks for showing me those photos today” she said to Max, braking the small silence between them.  
“Hey no worries” he replied sounding humble.  
“Did you really mean what you said about visiting a beach one day?” she asked him, needing to know if he was serious or not.  
“Yeah sure, anything could happen, this whole undead business might blow over and if not I’ll take you out to the coast myself” he replied.  
Beth’s heart leapt at this, if he was willing to risk his life to take her to the beach what else would he be willing to do?.  
“You would do that?” she asked giving him a smile.  
“Yeah if you ask me nicely” he replied, returning her teasing smile and she giggled in return and felt her self blushing.  
“Max will you take me too see the ocean?” she asked, smiling, placing her hand on his arm and looked up at him with her eyes wide.  
“Sure thing we’ll go tomorrow make sure you pack your bikini” he joked.  
Beth’s heart almost stopped as he said this, he could have said swimsuit or swimmers but no he said bikini. Was Max imagining her in a bikini?, did he want to see her in a bikini?. The questions exploded through her mind and she imagined lying on a deserted beach with Max and smiled shyly.   
“Well I don’t have a bikini so I hope I can get one there” she said, playing it cool and they laughed.  
Beth took a breath and slid across the bench, closing the small gap between them and pressed her leg against his. She knew he could feel her leg against his but he didn’t jerk away and she kept it there.  
She was so engrossed in the moment and wishing she could stay at the table forever and almost didn’t hear Max mutter something.   
“Huh?” she asked him.  
“Zach, he’s giving me the death stare” Max replied.  
Beth turned her attention to where Zach was sitting to see him look away, and guessed why he had been staring at Max.  
“Oh he is probably a little jealous you are sitting here” she explained.  
“How so?” Max asked  
“He um likes me and he asked me out the other day” she replied.  
“Really?” Max asked, raising an eyebrow.  
“Yeah but I turned him down I don’t think he is mature enough for me” she explained and wondered if Max would pick up on the hint and if it was to forward if he did.  
She didn’t have a chance to dwell on it as Carol and Patrick walked over, both were on dish duty that night.  
“Hey guys, finished?” Carol asked with a smile on her face.  
They said yeah at the same time and laughed at the same time. Beth could tell the dinner was obviously drawing to a close and she wanted it to end on a high note and stood up.  
“I should probably go check on Maggie but um I had a nice dinner tonight Max ” she said smiling.  
“Yeah same here, I’ll catch you later” Max said.  
She walked off, pausing at the door to look back, Max was looking at her and she felt herself blushing once again.   
Stepping into the cell block she made her way to Maggie and Glenn’s cell to see how she was. She found Maggie fast asleep in Glenn’s arms, he was still awake and waved  
Beth waved back, satisfied her sister was ok she decided to go back to the mess but found Max was gone. Sasha and Ty invited her to sit down but with Zach sitting at their table she politely declined and headed to her cell.  
As Beth passed by Max’s cell she noticed it was empty and a naughty idea came to her. She looked around to see if anyone was watching and ducked into his cell. She quickly picked up the stack of photos, flipped through them, grabbed the one she wanted and ducked back out.  
Beth knew it was wrong and she would return the photo before he noticed it missing but tonight it was all hers. She slipped into her cell and pulled her privacy sheet, not wanting to be disturbed during what she planned to do.  
She pulled off her boots and jeans and climbed into her bunk. She sighed as she looked at the picture of Max in her hand and brushed a finger over it lovingly.   
Beth felt the familiar tingle between her legs and slipped her free hand into her panties. She had grown to love touching herself, bringing her self off with just her fingers and had gotten quite good at it.  
She moaned softly as she rubbed her fingers across her clit and she began to moisten in response. Beth imagined it was Max touching her, running his strong hands across her body and whispering to her in his intoxicating accent. She dropped the photo and slipped her hand up her shirt to palm one of her breasts before pulling her shirt off all together. She wondered what Max would think of her little breasts as she pawed one of them and slipped her hand back into panties. Beth arched her back and eased a finger then another past her soaking folds and moaned as they parted to accept the intrusion.   
As she thrust her fingers into her little teen pussy, Beth wished it was Max’s fingers, wished he was there in her bunk, naked like her and ready to make her a woman. She imagined what his cock looked like and what it would feel like inside her. The imagery sent her over the edge, she seized up and an orgasm crashed through her, curling her toes and leaving her panting and breathless.   
After the waves of pleasure had subsided, she pulled her fingers from herself and licked her juices from them, enjoying the taste and giggled softly as she did.  
Beth lay for a while basking in her after glow before slipping her shirt back on. She picked up the photo of Max and kissed it.   
“Goodnight Max” she whispered  
Beth decided she needed to make her fantasies come true, but first she had to find out if he really found her attractive or not. A plan began forming in her head, a plan she would execute in the morning and hopefully she would then know if he wanted her just as bad as she wanted him.


	31. Chapter 31

She looked so beautiful and her breathy moans sounded like heaven to him as he kissed his way down her neck towards her naked breasts, she writhed under him as she ran her fingers through his hair.  
“Oh Max I want you so bad, I want you to fuck me” she whispered in his ear.   
He groaned and pressed his erect cock against her wet opening, ready to make her his.  
“Yes Max fuck me” she moaned as he plunged into her wet depths.  
“Shit” he groaned   
“You like my teen body Max? You like my tight teen pussy?” she asked.  
“God yes” he answered   
“Then come get me Max, I’m waiting” she said.  
She started to shimmer and then she was gone and Max shot up in bed, now wide awake.  
Max groaned as he rolled over, his shirt was drenched and he shook his head as the dream began to ebb from it.  
He had dreamed of Beth before but never as vivid or erotic, he looked down at his erect cock making a tent in his pants and sighed. He would need to take care of it if he was going to get back to sleep.  
Using the dream as inspiration he quickly brought himself off, spilling onto his stomach. He wiped himself off with a shirt and threw it on the floor. Max felt dirty and wrong, jerking off to an innocent teenage girl but he couldn’t help how he felt, even his subconscious couldn’t be swayed.   
Max lay his head back on his pillow and managed to fall back to sleep and when he woke early the next morning he had only a vague recollection of the dream.  
He dressed and headed into the mess, no one was up yet and he made him self a breakfast of tinned fruit and walked outside to enjoy the morning sun.  
Beth Greene was dominating his thoughts and he needed a distraction to push her from his mind and decided a work out was perfect thing, he had been meaning to smash out a training session for a few days any way.  
He started with a run, running the perimeter of the yard several times while ignoring the walkers snarling through the fence. With each lap he increased his speed, pushing himself until he was sprinting the last lap.  
He stopped to rest, smiling at the familiar burn spreading through his legs and knew he couldn’t stop now. He picked a spot in the court yard and began a session of push ups, sit ups and pull ups.  
He was in the middle of a set of pull ups, using a steel beam sticking out from one of the guard towers, when he noticed he had an audience.  
Several of the prison woman including Beth, Sasha and Carol were watching him intently from one of the outside tables, he could hear them whispering amongst themselves and throwing looks in his direction as they ate breakfast.  
Beth smiled brightly at him, the dream come flooding back and Max knew no matter how much he worked out he couldn’t distract himself forever and decided to call it a day.  
“G’day ladies” he said casually as he walked over to them and there was a flutter of giggles.  
“Enjoying the show?” he teased.  
“Oh yes” said Sasha with a laugh and he grinned.  
He saw Beth bite her lip and blush as he saw her eyes wander over him.   
“Well if anybody needs a training session I’m happy to offer my services” he said it jokingly but he directed it at Beth.  
“Oh we’ll let you know” promised Carol.  
“Good to know, well anyway ladies I think I need a shower” he announced.  
With a smile at Beth, he headed to his cell, grabbed his towel and fresh shirt and made his way to the showers.  
Max sighed as the cold water ran over his body, refreshing him and washing away the sweat and he felt like a new man as he stepped out.   
He was pulling on his shirt when Beth appeared, clutching her things and Max had a suspicion she had followed him in on purpose.   
“Hey” she said.  
“Hey” he replied.  
“Good shower?” she asked.  
“Yeah just the thing after a workout” he replied.  
“You don’t look like you need it” she said quickly.  
Max knew she hadn’t really meant to say it and decided to mess with her a little.   
“The shower or the workout?” Max asked with a raised eyebrow.  
“Oh” she stammered and a blush filled her cheeks as she covered her mouth with her hand and she let out a little giggle.  
“Wow I’m sorry that came out all wrong” she said.  
“So I don’t need a shower or I don’t need a workout?” he asked teasingly.  
“Oh um, the workout?” she answered.  
“Well good too know I wouldn’t want to let myself go” he laughed and she joined him.   
“No we wouldn’t want that, well I um should take a shower ” she said sill looking embarrassed.   
“No worries I’ll catch you later” he replied.  
As she stepped in the shower and pulled the curtain, Max tried to imagine the sight of her undressing and the water cascading off her naked teen body and wished her could pull that curtain aside and join her.  
Max realised he was just staring at the shower stall and made him self move before someone caught him. He threw his things back into the cell and decided to take some of the ammo they had collected yesterday and store it in the Bushmaster, ready if needed on the next run.  
He found the ammo boxes were they had left them, three military ammo boxes containing assault rifle ammunition that they had found in John Colter’s vehicle, and carried two of them out to the Bushmaster.  
As he was placing them in the shelves built into bushmaster he heard footsteps and saw Beth standing at the back door and his mind went blank.  
She had changed into a short white summer that displayed her petite form, her hair was down over her shoulders and he couldn’t help but notice the bra she was wearing made her breasts look bigger. She looked angelic and downright sexy at the same time, from the hair glowing in the sun to her breasts held up by the bra, pressing against the thin material of the dress and down to her long smooth legs in her cowboy boots.   
“Wow” he said before he he catch himself.  
“Sorry?” Beth asked still with her ever present smile.  
“Nothing, um nice dress” he stammered in reply.  
“Thank you its such a nice day, I thought I would wear something fitting” she bubbled happily and did a small spin turn to show the whole outfit and Max couldn’t help but groan in response.   
“Do you need a hand with anything?” she asked, a sweetness in her voice.  
He didn’t really have anything planned but he needed to come up with something fast to keep her in his presence, at least for a little while longer.  
“Ahh um I was just finishing up here but I was going to fill all the run vehicles tanks with the fuel we found yesterday” he answered, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.   
“Ok sounds good” Beth said.  
He walked over to the fuel shed and grabbed two of the several jerry cans inside and carried them to the first vehicle, the silver suv.  
“Ok can you pop the fuel cap cover?” he asked  
He could have done it himself but she needed something to do than just watch him, she nodded and climbed into the drivers side, popped the cover and he began to top up the tank, he found it pretty much full and then used they used the rest of the can on the second vehicle, managing to fill the pick-ups tank.   
“Lucky you found all this fuel yesterday” Beth said as he dropped the empty can on the ground   
“Yeah sure is but its going to get harder to find more” he replied.  
“I’m certain you’ll find some more” she said flashing him a bright smile.  
“Hmm and if not well have to go back to horse and cart” he joked.   
Max imagined what runs would be like with just horses and wondered if the survivors of the new world would slowly become a medieval society, complete with castles.  
“Alright the Bushmaster now” he suggested, shaking off the fantasy.  
He picked up the full jerry can and carried it over to the Bushmaster. As he unscrewed the fuel cap he turned to see Beth bent over the jerry can and Max just stared at her arse, enjoying the view as she tried to pick up the can but finding she couldn’t.   
“Bit heavy?” he asked teasingly.  
“No, I just wanted to see if it was full” she lied unconvincingly.   
“Oh and is it?” he asked holding back a laugh.  
“Yep” she replied with a smile.  
“Well good” he said.  
Beth stepped aside and let him pick up the can and watched him pour it into the Bushmasters fuel tank. He emptied the entire jerry can but with a hundred gallon tank it would take a couple of cans to fill the tank entirely but luckily the tank was only half empty.   
“Well that’s all the vehicles fueled and ready” Max announced.  
“Oh ok” she said and she sounded slightly disappointed but smiled anyway.  
“I um have no other jobs to do” he said.  
“No worries I should probably go see if Judith needs looking after” Beth said.   
“Ok sweet, say hi for me” Max said with a smile.  
She flashed him another bright smile and walked off, allowing a view of her backside again as she walked away. As Beth reached the cell block entrance she looked back over her shoulder and she caught him still watching her, Max tried to quickly look away but a teasing smile played on her lips like she wanted him to watch her.  
With her gone Max could relax and process what had happened and considered taking another cold shower. Beth had chosen that outfit for his benefit that much he was sure of, perhaps to see what his reaction to it was and he was more than certain he had given the reaction she was looking for.  
He decided to actively avoid her for the rest of the day, not because he didn’t want to see her but because he did and needed to put a little distance between them as people would soon make the connection between Beth’s outfit and himself.  
Max managed to avoid her for the rest of the day more easier than he thought as he helped others out with their jobs and didn’t even catch a glimpse of her, even when he grabbed some lunch.   
As he walked into the mess for an early dinner later that evening and found it buzzing already, he didn’t see Beth and was about to take a seat with Rick and Carl when Hershel walked up to him.  
“Evening Max, listen ahh before you sit down would you be able to go fetch Beth from the library I’m afraid she has forgotten all about dinner and is probably still stuck in a book”  
Max looked over to his table to see Maggie and Glenn were already eating and Max found himself nodding.  
“Yeah sure”  
“Thanks son, I’ll have two bowls ready for you two”  
Max left the mess and headed to the library, shaking his head at his decision to end his plan to avoid her so easily. As he got closer to the library he heard a cry and the sound of struggling. Max did what he did best and flew into action…


	32. Chapter 32

Beth woke with a smile and rolled around in her bed before getting up, reliving the moment from the night before and remembered her plan for that day.  
She got up and rummaged through one of her packs, pulling out what she was looking for, a short summer dress and a padded push-up bra.  
Beth wasn’t a big on dresses, not since the world ending anyway, a thin dress was not really a realistic attire for the apocalypse but she needed something that would catch Max’s attention and paired with the bra she hoped it would do the trick.  
Beth didn’t put them on, deciding she would wait to later in the day and dressed in her usual jeans and tank top before heading to breakfast.  
As she grabbed herself something, Sasha came in from outside and her eyes lit up when she saw Beth.  
“Come eat outside” said Sasha.  
She pulled Beth urgently behind her and Beth wondered was so important about eating outside. She didn’t have to wonder long as she why, Max was outside doing pull ups on the side of one of the guard towers.  
The whole sight was mesmerising and she allowed her self to be led to one of the tables and sat down with Carol and a few other of the Woodbury woman.  
“Well I have to say that man is fine as hell” Beth heard on of them say.  
Beth couldn’t agree more and had known this for a while. She watched him as he pulled him self over the beam with ease, sighing as his muscles flexed in his arms and back through his tight shirt  
Max stopped as he noticed them, Beth gave him a smile and he began to walk over to where they were sitting.  
“G’day ladies” he said casually.  
“Well g’day to you too” said Carol and they all laughed.  
“Enjoying the show?” he teased.  
“Oh yes” said Sasha with a laugh.  
Beth couldn’t help bite her lip as she stared at him, his sweat soaked shirt clung to his chest and showed off the muscles beneath it and smiled as she knew exactly what they looked like.  
“Well if anybody needs a training session I’m happy to offer my services” Max offered looking at her.  
“Oh we’ll let you know” promised Carol.  
“Good to know, well anyway ladies I think I need a shower” he announced, he gave Beth a parting smile and left for the showers.  
while the other woman sighed, watching him depart and Beth turned back to finish her breakfast.  
“Go follow him” said Sasha, nudging her in the side  
“What?” Beth stammered.  
“Shh go now, go see if you can get a peek” Sasha whispered.  
“Sasha..” Beth exclaimed.  
“Come on we have all thought of it, go!, go now” she said more forcibly.  
Beth just stared at her but let herself be shooed away from the table and ran back to her cell. She grabbed her towel and made the decision to grab the dress and the push-up bra and hurried to the showers.  
She walked into find Max had just finished showering and was pulling on a fresh shirt but did manage to catch a glimpse of a toned stomach complete with six pack and bit her lip once again.  
“Hey” she said as he saw her standing there.  
“Hey” he replied.  
“Good shower?” she asked stupidly.  
“Yeah just the thing after a workout” he replied.  
“You don’t look like you need it” she blurted out before she could stop herself.  
“The shower or the workout?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.  
“Oh” she stammered as she realised what she had just said and her hand flew up to her mouth and felt her face heat up.  
She felt like an idiot and just wanted to run but she saw a smile appeared on his face and she let out a small nervous giggle.  
“Wow I’m sorry that came out all wrong” she said.  
“So I don’t need a shower or I don’t need a workout?” he asked teasingly.  
“Oh um, the workout?” she answered.  
“Well good too know I wouldn’t want to let myself go” he laughed and she joined him.  
“No we wouldn’t want that, well I um should take a shower ” she said, needing to cool down before she said anything else embarrassing.  
“No worries I’ll catch you later” he replied  
She stepped into the shower, pulled the curtain and pressed her forehead to the cool tiles. God she was actually flirting with him, awkwardly but flirting nevertheless and she could swear he had been flirting back.  
Beth turned on the water and let the water pour over her. She washed her self thoroughly and made sure her legs were shaved, hairy legs in a dress was not a good look. Satisfied she was ready she pulled on a fresh pair of underwear and the bra before slipping on the dress and stepped out of the stall.  
She decided to leave her hair down, letting it cascade over her shoulders and looked at her self in the mirror. Beth smiled, she looked killer, the padded bra upped her cup and the dress showed off her body and legs perfectly without being slutty. She wished she had some nice heels to top it off but she would have to settle for her boots, which actually ending up working, giving her a cowgirl look. She wondered if Max would be able to resist and tried to imagine the look on his face when he saw her.  
She headed out of the showers with no direction in mind, just hoping to run into Max. The first person she ran into was Rick who had Judith in his arms and did a classic double take at her appearance.  
“Morning Beth, you ahh look nice today” he said and she caught his eyes roaming over her  
“Thanks Rick” she replied happily and tickled Judith’s stomach.  
His comment and his gaze fuelled her confidence and she quickly noticed he wasn’t the only one who had noticed her new outfit. She saw Daryl and Ty looking in her direction and they quickly busied themselves as she looked at them.  
Beth giggled at the attention, if she could make those men’s jaws drop then Max would be easy.  
“What are you doing?” asked a voice and Beth saw Maggie and Carol standing in front of her with, Carol was smiling brightly but Maggie had a stern look and her arms were folded.  
“What?” Beth asked  
“I asked what you think you are doing?” Maggie asked.  
“What?, its just a dress Maggie, I felt like dressing nice today” Beth answered, trying to sound normal as possible.  
“Why?” Maggie pressed.  
Beth paled, she was cornered and Maggie would wear her down until she confessed but she was saved by Carol.  
“Oh relax Maggie, let the girl have some fun” Carol spoke up.  
“I just want to know why she wearing this” Maggie insisted, not be deterred.  
“Like she said it’s just a dress, now go on and leave your sister alone” Carol replied with a laugh.  
Maggie was defeated for now but Beth knew it wouldn’t be the end of this, she gave Beth a disapproving look and stalked off.  
“Thanks” said Beth to Carol.  
“No worries, he’s in his truck by the way” Carol replied.  
“What?” Beth asked confused.  
Carol didn’t reply just smiled and walked off leaving Beth speechless. She shook her self and walked slowly to where the Bushmaster was parked her heart pounding in her chest and took a moment to check her appearance in the reflection of one of the water drums before continuing on.  
She rounded the back of the Bushmaster and found Max inside loading metal boxes into some shelves. He turned and heading back out when he froze as he saw her.  
Beth saw his eyes widen and wander over her, taking her all in and she almost giggled as his jaw visible slackened.  
“Wow” he let out, almost too quiet to hear.  
“Sorry?” Beth asked, smiling.  
“Nothing, um nice dress” he stammered.  
“Thank you its such a nice day I thought I would wear something fitting”  
Beth did a turn to show the whole outfit and she swore she heard a groan come from him. Beth smiled to herself the plan was working, he definitely found her attractive.  
“Do you need a hand with anything?” she asked him sweetly, wanting a reason to hang around.  
“Ahh um I was just finishing up here but I was going to fill all the run vehicles tanks with the fuel we found yesterday” he answered, rubbing the back of his neck and sounded sheepish.  
“Ok sounds good” Beth said, any job with Max would sound good to her.  
He led her over to the shed where they kept the fuel and opened it to reveal several fuel cans. Max grabbed two of them and she followed him to the first vehicle.  
“Ok can you pop the fuel cap cover?”  
Beth nodded, opened the drivers door of the suv and quickly found the the latch to open the the cover. She slipped round to his side to find him pouring fuel into the now opened tank.  
They repeated process on the second vehicle, draining the first can but managing to fill the pick-ups tank.  
“Lucky you found all this fuel yesterday” she said as he dropped the empty can on the ground  
“Yeah sure is but its going to get harder to find more” he replied.  
“I’m certain you’ll find some more” she said flashing him a bright smile.  
“Hmm and if not well have to go back to horse and cart” he joked.  
Beth smiled, they only had one horse, Nelly, and she and Michonne had been gone for a for few days, Michonne still on her quest to find the Governor.  
“Alright the Bushmaster now” Max announced.  
This time as he set the fuel can down, he open the fuel cap and wanting to show off Beth bent down to pick up the can but she found it heavier than she expected and dropped it in frustration. She turned to see him watching her and she blushed.  
“Bit heavy?” he asked with a teasing grin on his face.  
“No, I just wanted to see if it was full” she lied unconvincingly.  
“Oh and is it?” he asked holding back a laugh.  
“Yep” she replied with a smile.  
“Well good” he said.  
Beth stepped aside and let him pick up the can and watched him pour it into the Bushmasters fuel tank. As she did she realised it was the last tank to fill so her excuse to hang him around was ending and her heart sunk a little.  
“Well that’s all the vehicles fuelled and ready” Max announced  
“Oh ok” she said and tried her best to sound happy  
“I um have no other jobs to do” he said and he sounded disappoint as he did and Beth perked up at this, he wanted her to stay as well.  
“No worries I should probably go see if Judith needs looking after” Beth suggested.  
“Ok sweet, say hi for me” he said.  
She flashed him a bright smile and walked away heading towards the cell block, as she reached the door she looked back and saw him still watching her and her heart fluttered again and smiled.  
Beth found Judith with Rick, who looked a little stressed and was happy for Beth to take his daughter of his hands for a few hours.  
She took Judith to the library and began reading some of the children’s books the group had brought back to the prison. The little girl was gurgling happily as Beth read her a book of famous nursery rhymes when Mika and Lizzie entered.  
“Hi Beth” greeted Lizzie  
“Wow Beth you look really nice” said Mika  
“Thanks Mika”  
The two girls joined her and the three of them spent most of day laughing and talking. The girls didn’t mention Max but Beth wouldn’t have minded if they did as her mind was filled with thoughts of him.  
Beth had gotten her answer, he was attracted to her and now she wasn’t sure what to do next. It wasn’t like they were going to hook up instantly and would have to wait to see what happened next and decided she wouldn’t seek him out for the rest of the day and see if he sought her out.  
As the girls left to get some lunch, promising to bring her and Judith something back, Beth began to lose heart in her plan but she had to stay strong.  
The girls didn’t return but Carl appeared with a bowl of deer jerky and some fruit.  
“Hey Beth um the girls are doing something with their father but they made me promise to bring you some lunch” he mumbled as he looked over her, obviously not used to her in a dress.  
“Oh thanks” Beth said taking the food  
“Do you want me take her?” he asked, referring to Judith.  
“Oh yeah sure” Beth answered, not wanting to deny Carl time with his sister.  
Carl picked Judith up and with a nod to Beth carried her from the room, leaving Beth alone and once again she considered going and looking for Max.  
She didn’t, instead eating the food Carl had brought her, picked a book to read and curled up to read it.  
Beth was so engrossed in the book and had been reading for a few hours when Zach walked into the room. She smiled politely at him, she hadn’t spoken to him since the day he asked her out and wondered how he was holding up. He smiled back but it wasn’t a nice smile and Beth felt a shiver run down her spine as his eyes travelled over her body.  
“Hi Beth” he said.  
“Hi Zach” Beth replied.  
She stood up and a little voice told her to leave as Zach continued to check her out like she was some kind of prey.  
“Um Beth can we talk?” he asked, blocking her way slightly.  
“About what Zach?” she asked warily.  
“Listen I know what you said the other day but I was hoping you would reconsider” he replied.  
“Zach look you are really sweet but I still think we should just stay friends” she told him keeping her voice neutral.  
Zach face dropped then his expression grew angry and Beth began to feel a lot more uncomfortable being alone with him.  
“Why because you have the hots for that Max guy?” he said.  
“What?” she spluttered.  
“I’ve seen how you act around him and now you’ve slutted all up for him today” he said with a sneer.  
“Ok Zach I’m just going to go” she stammered, she needed to get out of there right away.  
She made to leave again but he blocked he way again this time more forcibly and Beth felt a rush of fear wash though her.  
“Come on Beth, do you really think its going to happen?, he’s like thirty ” he growled  
“Zach it’s none of your business, now I’m leaving” she snapped angrily and once again attempted to leave  
“No Beth, I’ve waited to long for you to come to your senses” he said.  
He suddenly grabbed her by the throat, hard and kissed her forcibly, pushing her into the book shelf, causing some books to fall to the ground. Beth was shocked and disgusted, she pushed him away and slapped him across the face.  
“Don’t touch me” she yelled.  
Zach backed away, rubbing his face with his hand as a red imprint of her hand appeared on his cheek. He snarled and before she could react he struck her, backhanding her across her face.  
Beth crashed back against the bookshelf, stunned, she tasted blood and a ringing echoed through her ears. She reached her hand out to steady her self but failed and she fell to the floor. Tears of pain filled her eyes and she struggled to get up, she needed to escape and find help.  
"Zach please no" she cried weakly as Zach grabbed her arm.  
He didn’t listen and struck her again, this time with his fist and she crashed back to the floor, her eye throbbing with pain where he had hit her.  
The punch to her face had almost knocked her out and she sat slumped against the book shelf, disorientated. Zach loomed over her, he grabbed her legs and pulled them apart.  
“Please don’t Zach” she begged her voice ragged as she realised what he planned to do and pushed at him but her strength was fading.  
“Relax Beth and you might enjoy this” he growled with an evil grin on his face.  
Zach ripped at her dress, revealing her panties, he grabbed at them and ripped them off and began to unzip his jeans.  
Beth couldn’t stop it, he was going to rape her, she was going to be raped in the library with help so close. She needed to fight but he was too strong, her strength was gone and she was pretty sure she had a concussion. Her vision blurred and she hoped someone would find them before Zach raped her and if not, she prayed she would pass out so she wouldn’t have to experience it.  
Beth closed her eyes, waiting for it to be over, when suddenly Zach was wrenched violently off her. She snapped open her good eye to see an enraged Max standing over Zach and realised she had been saved.  
“I’m going to fuck you up mate” she heard Max growl.  
Beth watched as Zach tried to crawl away but Max slammed his boot heavily on his leg, Zach wailed in pain and Beth knew Max had just broken his leg.  
Zach held his arm out and Beth heard him beg Max to stop but Max obviously wasn’t going to as he picked him up by the shirt and drove a punch into his nose. Zach let out a scream as his nose broke and Max dropped him to the floor where he lay slumped, not moving.  
Max with blood dripping from his knuckles, turned back to her and looked at her with deep concern.  
“Beth?” he said softly, crouching in front of her.  
He didn’t get any closer, Beth felt weak and pathetic but extremely relieved he had saved her. She realised she was completely exposed and snapped her legs together but his eyes never left hers.  
“Beth you’re safe now, he's never going to hurt you again” he soothed.  
Beth found energy she didn’t know she still had and flung her self into him, wrapped her arms around his neck and began sobbing hysterically into his chest. She felt his arms tighten around her, he didn’t say anything and just held her until she could cry no more.


	33. Chapter 33

Max pounded along the corridor and burst through the door. What he saw inside filled him with a rage like no other. Beth was pressed up against a bookshelf, her face bruised and bloody with Zach forcing himself on her.  
Without a word he crossed the room, grabbed Zach, pulled him off Beth and delivered a powerful punch to Zach’s chest. The kid dropped instantly coughing and spluttering.  
“I’m going to fuck you up mate” Max growled at Zach.  
He tried to crawl away but Max slammed his foot down on his leg, just below the knee and Zach screamed in pain as his leg broke.  
“Please” Zach pleaded through gasps, holding his hand up.  
But Max had no mercy for him, he grabbed Zach by the shirt, lifting him easily and punched him hard in the nose. He heard the familiar crunch as it shattered, Zach screamed in pain, his head slumped back and he passed out. Max let him dropped heavily to the floor and turned his attention back to Beth.  
The sight of her made his blood boil, she was still slumped on the floor, blood dripped from her cut lip, staining her ripped white dress, her eye was already swelling shut and Max almost considered just snapping Zach’s neck then and there. She was still shaking and seemed to be in a daze.  
“Beth?” he said softly, crouching in front of her,  
He noticed her ripped panties lying next to her and quickly focused on her face, not wanting to look anywhere else. He didn’t try to touch her or get any closer to her and just waited. She blinked her good eye and then focused on him.  
“Beth you’re safe now, he’s never going to hurt you again” he soothed.  
Beth then moved so quickly that he almost wasn’t ready for it. She flung her self into him, wrapped her arms around his neck and began crying hysterically.  
Max held her tight as she cried,her whole body shook as she did, and he didn’t let go until the cries turned to silent sobs.  
“It’s ok Beth I got you” he whispered softly.  
“H-h-he wouldn’t stop, I told him no but he wouldn’t listen” she sobbed hoarsely.  
“He wont hurt you again, I won’t let anyone hurt you again” he promised  
She pulled away from him and she looked at him, her bottom lip trembling and Max could see bruises darkening on her throat from where Zach had grabbed her. She looked so defeated and broken and Max wanted to hold her again.  
“You promise?” she asked.  
“You have my word Beth” he promised.  
A silence settled between them and Max knew he had to get her somewhere safe.  
“I should get you out of here” he suggested.  
“Ok” she agreed softly.  
She still look shaken and Max doubted if she was able to stand let alone walk.  
“I’m going to carry you, is that alright?” he asked gently.  
She nodded and he slipped his hands under her knees and her back and picked her up.  
She felt so tiny in his arms and weighed practically nothing, Beth didn’t say a word and just looked at him like he was some hero out of a romance novel before she rolled into him and lent her head against his chest, closing her eyes.  
Max carried her out of the library and hoped the mess would be empty by now, hoping to avoid everyone for Beth’s sake, knowing it would be best for her to not have to deal with the attention so quickly.  
They had made it outside and Max was heading for the cell block when a voice called from the darkness.  
“Wat the fuck happened?” asked Daryl as he appeared.  
“She was attacked by Zach, caught him trying to rape her” Max explained but not stopping.  
“That little fucker, where is he?” Daryl asked.  
“He’s in the library, he won’t be going anywhere for a while, get the door for me we need to get her into her bed” Max ordered, Daryl nodded and wrenched open the door.  
The mess was still full of people eating and talking and silence filled the room as they turned to see him holding a bruised and bloody Beth in his arms.  
Maggie was the first one to scream, she jumped from where she was sitting and rushed over.  
“Oh my god” she yelled.  
“Maggie?” Beth groaned weakly as she stirred.  
“Oh Bethie what happened?” Maggie cried, stroking her head.  
“Max what happened?”  
“Who attacked you Beth?”  
The questions exploded from all sides as now everyone was now out of their seats and all talking at once. Max ignored them all and began pushing his way through the crowd, this was not the time or place for this.  
“Ok everyone calm down, I’ll explain everything but Beth needs rest and privacy” he ordered loudly over the noise.  
They all stopped talking and parted, allowing Max through to the cell block. As Hershel and Maggie followed he carried Beth to her cell and placed her as carefully as he could into her bed. Maggie quickly sat beside her and cradled Beth’s head gently. Max could tell they both wanted answers and he was willing to give them but Beth needed tending to first.  
Max made to leave and let Hershel and Maggie tend to her but Beth’s hand shot out and grabbed his, holding it tightly and gave him a terrified look.  
“Please don’t go” she begged, her voice wavering.  
“It’s ok I’ll just be outside Beth” he said.  
“No stay here, please?” she asked again still not letting go of his hand.  
Max looked at Hershel, he nodded in response and Max sat down gently on her bed, while Hershel looked on gravely.  
“Alright I’ll stay” he said softly and a relieved expression filled her face.  
Carol appeared with a bowl of hot water and a clean cloth, Maggie took the bowl and cloth and began to gentle clean the blood off Beth’s battered face, who winced in pain as she did.  
“Max, who did this to my daughter?” Hershel asked.  
“It was Zach daddy, h-he tried to rape me” Beth answered before Max could and Hershel looked at him while Maggie and Carol gasped.  
“Yeah I found him in the library trying to force himself on her” he explained reluctantly, not wanting Beth to have to keep reliving what happened.  
“But Max saved me” Beth continued, her voice sounding weaker and sounded like she was about to cry again.  
“That arsehole, I’m going to kill him” Maggie said angrily.  
“I almost did” Max told them.  
Beth let out a wince as Maggie touched her lip to hard Max knew she would need something for the pain.  
“Carol in the black bag in my cell is a red medical bag, can you get it?” Max asked Carol, turning his attention away from Beth.  
The older woman nodded, ducked away and quickly returned with it, handing it to him. He opened it and pulled out a syringe filled with a clear fluid.  
“What is that Max?” Hershel asked.  
“This is a fast acting pain med, akin to morphine, designed for the battle field, this is going to help you sleep Beth” he explained, turning to her.  
Beth looked a little apprehensive but held out her arm, Max looked at Hershel for permission, he nodded and Max carefully stuck the needle in her arm and injected the contents.  
The effects were almost instantaneous, she visible relaxed and lay her head further back into her pillow. Max held her hand until her good eye fluttered closed and her grip slackened.  
Once Max satisfied she was sleeping soundly, he stood up and left the cell, leaving Hershel and Maggie to watch over her.  
He returned to the mess to find everyone still talking and they all fell silent as they saw him.  
“Is it true?, Daryl said that it was Zach who attacked Beth” asked Sasha.  
Max sat heavily at one of the empty tables and stared down at the dried blood on his knuckles and Beth’s blood on his shirt.  
“Max?” asked Rick.  
He looked back up at the expectant faces all waiting for him to speak. He just wanted the night to be over, he was tired and believed he had failed Beth. She had been attacked by one of their own, where she should have been safe.  
“Yeah” he answered finally.  
“What exactly happened?” Rick asked, his cop background becoming evident.  
Carol sat next to him with another bowl of water, took his hand and began to wash the blood off it.  
“Hershel asked me to retrieve Beth for dinner and I found Zach on top of her, so I beat the shit out him” he replied as Carol finished cleaning his hand.  
Suddenly the door opened and Daryl and Ty walked in dragging a sobbing and terrified Zach between them, dumping him in front of everyone. Max jumped up but Rick stopped him.  
“Ok everyone out now” he ordered.  
There was a shuffling and all most everyone left the mess, leaving only Rick, Carol, Sasha, Ty, Daryl, Glenn and Max.  
“Ok Zach time to come clean” Rick ordered.  
“I d-didn’t do anything, he tried to kill me” he cried, pointing at Max  
“Shut up” yelled Daryl.  
“Why did you do it son?” asked a soft voice and Hershel appeared.  
Zach looked down at the floor and didn’t speak, just let out painful sobs.  
“Answer the man or I’ll break your other leg” Max ordered and Zach looked at him.  
“I-I wanted her so much, I wanted her from the moment I laid eyes on her and when she turned me down I was devastated” he cried out.  
“Beth wasn’t into you so you tried to rape her?” Sasha asked sounding disgusted.  
“I saw her today in that dress and how she was talking to Max and I got so mad” he replied.  
This information shocked Max but managed not to react. So Zach forced himself Beth out of spite because not only had she turned him down but because she wanted someone else, him.  
“I say we just kill him now” suggested Daryl.  
“No, we don’t kill people” snapped Hershel.  
“He just tried to rape Beth” Daryl argued.  
“We don’t kill people Daryl” Hershel repeated.  
Max was all for killing Zach, just putting a bullet in his head and be done with it, but he wasn’t the one to make that decision.  
“So what do with him Hershel?” asked Rick.  
“We lock him up and deal with him once he is healed” Hershel answered.  
Daryl snorted and stormed out angrily and Max didn’t blame him but he also respected Hershel judgement.  
Rick and Ty picked up Zach and carried him off somewhere and the others slowly filed out of the room , leaving Hershel and Max.  
“I want to thank you Max” he said and Max could hear a crack in the man’s voice.  
“I was just in the right place at the right time, I just wish I had been faster” Max replied.  
“You saved her Max that’s all that matters” Hershel said.  
“It shouldn’t have happened” Max said heavily  
“Don’t blame your self Max, this is not your fault, no one is blaming you” Hershel said soothingly and fixed Max with a warm knowing look.  
Hershel patted him on the shoulder and left Max alone in the mess. He followed him into the cell block, he needed sleep but went to check on Beth before he turned in.  
Maggie was still sitting with her as he paused outside the cell, she smiled and Max nodded before moving on, heading back to his cell.  
He climbed into bed and fell into a restless sleep, filled with nightmares of him not saving Beth in time over and over.


	34. Chapter 34

Beth woke to a pounding headache and a wicked sore throat, at first she didn’t know what was happening and sat up in her bunk to see Maggie jump up from her chair.  
Beth felt woozy and her whole head hurt and she could only see out of one eye as the other was swollen shut. She winced in pain as the previous night’s incident came flooding back, though fragmented. She remembered Zach trying to rape her and Max saving her in time, she remembered being carried in his arms and feeling so safe, she remembered the shouts and Maggie’s scream as Max carried her into the mess and to her bed. The last thing Beth remembered was Max holding her hand as she fell asleep.  
“Shh Beth it’s ok” Maggie said softly, reaching out to take her hand gently.  
Beth tried to speak but nothing came out, her good eye widened in panic and her hands flew to her throat, she winced as her fingers touched the bruises there.  
“Beth don’t strain your self, your throat is very bruised you might not be able to talk till it heals” she explained.  
She wanted to cry but knew she had to be brave. Her father appeared and sat on the bunk with a grave look on his face and Beth felt weak.  
“How are you feeling Bethie?” he asked and Beth looked Maggie  
“She can’t talk daddy” Maggie explained.  
Hershel reached out and softly touched her neck but quickly withdrew as she winced in pain.  
“Ok it doesn’t look to bad you’ll might be without a voice for a few days though” he told her. Beth nodded in defeat, she felt tears leak down her face and wiped them away furiously, not wanting her father to see her cry but he pulled her into a hug and she did anyway  
When her sobs had subsided he let her go and gave her a loving fatherly look, he gave Maggie a look and stood up.  
“Now I want to stay in bed Beth, you need plenty of bed rest” he ordered.  
Beth cringed a little, the last time she had needed plenty of bed rest had been back at the farm when she had become catatonic, then depressed and sequentially tried to kill herself. Beth pushed the painful memories away back where they belonged, to be replaced by the new fresher ones.  
“And I’ll go get you some breakfast” said Maggie.  
Beth nodded and they both left. As they did she felt a stab of fear being left alone but she also had no desire to leave the cell, now scared of what lay out there.  
As she dwelt on these thoughts, Glenn and Rick appeared at the door and she stared at them in fright. Beth knew deep down they would never hurt her but the memory of last night, the memory of a member of the group she thought she could trust trying to harm her flared in her head and she recoiled in her bunk.  
“Whoa Beth it’s just us” said Glenn alarmed and stepped further into the room.  
Beth felt panic now, though irrational, she still felt scared of them and pushed herself against the wall.  
Rick seemed to understand, put his hand on Glenn’s shoulder and pulled him away.  
“Its ok Beth, we are going” Rick soothed as he pulled a very confused Glenn with him  
When they both had left she relaxed and her heart beat returned to normal. God she was a mess she thought but any man was going to make her jumpy, anyone she knew was now capable of harm.  
There was a cough and she looked to see Max standing at the door just like Rick and Glenn just before but this time she felt no panic instead a sense of relief wash over her.  
“You ok?” he asked from the door and she nodded.  
“Can I come in?”he asked.  
She nodded again and he entered, sitting down in one of her chairs.  
“How are you feeling?” he asked.  
She pointed to her throat, shook her her and pointed to a notebook and pen on the desk beside him. He handed them to her and she scribbled down and answer.  
‘Head hurts, throat hurts, can’t talk’  
“Shit I’m sorry Beth” he said  
‘Not your fault’  
“I should have been faster” he confessed.  
‘You saved me, that’s all that matters’  
“Yeah but still..” he muttered looking down at his hands  
She reached out and softly placed her hand over his. He looked up at her and the defeated look almost broke her heart.  
“So um I just wanted to see if you were ok, I’ll leave you to rest” he said.  
Beth knew she did need the rest but she didn’t want to be alone and he was the only person, besides her sister and father that she wanted near her. She grabbed her note book and scribbled.  
‘Stay?’  
Max nodded, she pulled her knees up and patted the bed beside her, he picked himself from the chair and sat next to her.  
‘Are you alright?’  
“I’m ok Beth you don’t need to worry about me” he answered and looked at the wall.  
His answer irked her a little, she wanted to worry about him, she wanted to know if he was was really alright. She reached out and touched his shoulder and he turned back.  
“Ok I’m not alright I’m just angry at myself and at Zach, that cunt should never have touched you, should have never done that to your face” he confessed.  
His hash language didn’t bother her but the mention of her face did. She had no idea what her face looked like, but as she could only see out of one eye and her entire face hurt she imagined it was terrible.  
‘Does it look bad?’  
She saw his face darken and she hung her head slightly and he reached out to touch her knee.  
“You are going to heal Beth and you’ll be back to your normal self” he said.  
‘You really think so?’  
“Yeah I do” he answered.  
There was a noise, she looked up fearfully, her hand reached out and grabbed his hand but it was only Maggie. Beth pulled her hand away like she had been burned, not wanting Maggie to see but cringed as she did, but Max didn’t seem to notice or mind.  
“Hello Max” she said suspiciously and gave him a look.  
“Morning, I was just checking in on Beth” replied Max.  
“Here’s you breakfast Beth” said Maggie handed the tray she was carrying, on it was a bowl of wild berries and some peaches from a can.  
“I should go let you eat and rest” Max said and stood up.  
Once again she reached for his hand, preventing him from leaving and fixed him with a pleading look.  
“Beth you really need to eat and rest” Maggie said pointedly and Beth knew Maggie meant she really wanted Max to leave.  
Beth knew Maggie was just being protective, Beth had been assaulted by a member of the group and she wouldn’t be doing her job as a sister if she wasn’t suspicious of everyone now. Beth could she tell Max sensed that as well and obviously didn’t want to overstep any bounds, but she really wanted him to stay longer. Beth turned her pleading look at Maggie and she relented.  
“Ok you can stay Max but I want you to eat your breakfast Beth” she said ordered but her voice soft.  
Beth nodded and left but not before giving Max a powerful stare.  
“You have a great sister there” he informed her as he took a seat again, but this time back in one of the chairs. Beth was a little disappointed but understood his seat choice.  
Beth dug into her breakfast and realised she was starving, having missed dinner. She sighed as the fruit soothed her throat as she ate, especially the peaches.  
Max didn’t speak as she ate but she didn’t mind as she couldn’t write and eat at the same time.  
“Good?” he asked as she finished off the last piece of fruit.  
She nodded in agreement, he took the bowl from her hands and placed it on the bench.  
There was a silence as they both stared at each other, she knew he wanted to say something but before he could her father appeared at the door with a glass of water in his hand.  
Max shot up from his chair, stumbling to his feet and Beth couldn’t help but smile and she heard her father give a small chuckle.  
“Relax Max, Maggie informed me you were here, the council and I need to talk to you”  
“Yeah no worries” said Max.  
“And how are feeling now Bethie?” her father asked her.  
She didn’t want to admit it but the pain in her head was still killing her and she had been ignoring so as not to worry Max, so just shrugged and her father raised on eyebrow.  
“Hmm ok I want you to take theses they will ease the pain” he said and handed her a bottle of pills.  
“You only have take these for a few days, just to help you rest and sleep better” he explained as she made a face.  
She nodded and swallowed the pills, washing them down with the glass of water he handed her.  
“Ok now you rest and I’ll back later to check up on you” her father said warmly.  
He left and Max followed him but he paused at the door to look back.  
“I’ll um catch you later Beth” he promised.  
She smiled as brightly as her face would let her, knowing he would keep his promise. As he walked off she felt drowsy, the pain meds were kicking in and she lay her head down and drifted off to sleep, hoping to see Max when she woke up.


	35. Chapter 35

Max yawned as he grabbed himself something for breakfast, ignoring the looks and the hushed whispers. He felt exhausted and angry with himself, still thinking he had failed Beth.  
“Hi Max” said Carol as he sat down at one of the empty tables.  
“Hey Carol” he replied.  
He soon grew tired of the looks and left the mess, pausing as he saw Rick and Glenn standing outside Beth’s cell.  
Max hadn’t dared to check on her when he woke, not wanting to scare her or piss off her family but a protective desire sparked up in him as he saw Rick and Glenn.  
Glenn tried to step inside but Rick pulled him away and the two of them walked away, heading towards him.  
“I wasn’t going to hurt her, I would never do that Rick” Glenn stammered.  
“She knows that Glenn but she was just attacked last night we need to give her time to heal” Rick soothed.  
“She alright?” Max asked.  
“She’s pretty beat up and still frightened but she’s ok” Rick answered.  
Max nodded, Rick and Glenn walked off into the mess and Max made the decision to check up on Beth for himself.  
He coughed to alert her to his presence and his anger fired up again as she looked up at him. Her eye was now swollen shut, red bruises lined her throat and she was pale all over.  
“You ok?” he asked her.  
Beth nodded and he asked he if could come in and she nodded again. He stepped in and took a seat in one of her empty chairs.  
“How are you feeling?” he asked.  
Beth pointed to her throat, shook her her head, indicating she couldn’t talk and Max wasn’t surprised with the bruises on her throat. Max would have given anything to hear her sweet voice at the moment and cursed Zach once again for hurting her.  
Beth pointed to a notebook and pen on the desk beside him, he grabbed them and passed them to her. She began writing in it and then showed him.  
‘Head hurts, throat hurts, can’t talk’  
“Shit I’m sorry Beth” he said  
‘Not your fault’  
“I should have been faster” he confessed.  
‘You saved me, that’s all that matters’  
“Yeah but still..” he muttered looking down at his hands.  
He knew he had to stop beating himself up, she didn’t blame him and he did save her before Zach could do any lasting damage. He felt her hand on his and he looked up at her and realised he should probably let her rest.  
“So um I just wanted to see if you were ok, I’ll leave you to rest” he said.  
She asked him to stay, pulling her knees up and patting the bed beside her. Max got up from the chair and sat beside her.  
‘Are you alright?’  
“I’m ok Beth you don’t need to worry about me” he answered and looked at the wall. Beth reached out and touched his shoulder and he turned back to look at her.  
“Ok I’m not alright I’m just angry at myself and at Zach, that cunt should never have touched you, should have never done that to your face” he confessed.  
Beth asked him her face looked bad and she lowered her head when she saw the expression on his face.  
“You are going to heal Beth and you’ll be back to your normal self” he said as he reached out to touch her knee gently.  
‘You really think so?’  
“Yeah I do” he replied.  
Someone made a noise outside the cell, Beth’s hand reached out and grabbed his hand but it turned out to be only Maggie. Beth pulled her hand away quickly but Max pretended not to noticed and didn’t mind in the slightest.  
“Hello Max” she said suspiciously, fixing him with protective look.  
“Morning, I was just checking in on Beth” he replied truthfully.  
“Here’s you breakfast Beth” said Maggie handed the tray she was carrying, and Max could see it was the same breakfast he had. He decided it was a little too crowed in the cell and stood up to leave.  
“I should go let you eat and rest” he said, Beth reached for his hand, preventing him from leaving and fixed him with a pleading look.  
“Beth you really need to eat and rest” Maggie suggested.  
Max could hear the edge in her voice and could tell it was directed at him, she really wasn’t cool with him being there and Max couldn’t blame her. Max saw Beth give her sister a pleading look and he was surprised when she relented. Maggie said he could stay and left but gave him a hard look before she did.  
“You have a great sister there” he told her and sat down, but in one of the chairs again.  
Max watched her as she ate, smiling as she carefully speared the fruit she wanted with her fork and brought it to her lips. She seemed to enjoy the meal and finished it off quickly.  
“Good?” he asked as she finished up.  
She nodded in agreement, he took the bowl from her hands and placed it on the bench.  
There was a small silence as he stared at her and she stared back, he wanted to say something but before he could her father appeared at the door with a glass of water in his hand.  
Max felt like a caught thief and stumbled to his feet and wondered what he would say about him being in his daughters cell alone, but Hershel just let out a small chuckle.  
“Relax Max, Maggie informed me you were here, the council and I need to talk to you”  
“Yeah no worries” he replied, knowing exactly what they wanted to talk about.  
“And how are feeling now Bethie?” Hershel asked Beth and she just shrugged.  
“Hmm ok I want you to take theses they will ease the pain” he said and handed her a bottle of pills.  
Beth gave him displeased look but nodded and swallowed the pills, washing them down with the glass of water he handed her.  
“Ok now you rest you and I’ll back later to check up on you” Hershel said  
He turned and left the cell and Max followed him but he paused at the door to look back.  
“I’ll um catch you later Beth” he promised and a bright smile appeared on her face.  
He found Hershel just outside Beth’s cell, the older man didn’t speak and the two of them walked to the admin block in silence, to find the rest of the council already waiting.  
“Ahh Hershel, Max just in time” said Carol.  
Max and Hershel took the two empty seats and the meeting began.  
“We called this meeting because of what happened last night” said Hershel after clearing his throat.  
“I still say we should kill him” said Daryl.  
“We’ve been through this Daryl” said Hershel.  
“Well we have to do something” pleaded Glenn.  
Max just stayed quite as they argued among themselves, he wasn’t really sure why he needed to be there at all, he had never been a management type, preferring to stay close to the action.  
“What do you think Max?” Carol asked and they all looked at him.  
“Yes Max it would be good to get your thoughts” Hershel asked.  
“Yeah I’m really not sure what you want me to say here guys I’m not talk it out kinda guy, it wasn’t a requirement in my line of work, kill him or don’t” he responded.  
The group probably thought he would cast a deciding decision and all seemed disappointed with his answer.  
“Maybe we should exile him?” suggested Sasha.  
“Exile him?” Daryl snorted.  
“Yeah, when he is healed we send him on his way” Sasha explained.  
Max sighed quietly as they began arguing again, Beth was lying battered and bruised in her bed and they were bickering how best to deal with her attacker. Max didn’t have patience for this even on his better days. He had seen a number of atrocities committed because higher ups couldn’t decide to take out those committing them.  
“Guys no offence but make a decision, I really don’t want to sit here and wait” he said curtly  
“Max please, this is a difficult decision to make” Hershel pleaded.  
“Then leave me out of it” Max snapped and they all looked at him in shock.  
“Ok everyone's tempers are frayed, lets return to this when we are far more calmer” Hershel suggested.  
The others agreed and all filed out, heading to their other duties but Hershel stopped Max before he could leave.  
“Max can we talk?” he asked.  
“Yeah look I’m sorry I snapped” Max apologised.  
“Oh don’t worry about that, everyone is angry, I want to talk to you about Beth”  
Max waited for Hershel to speak his mind, gathering he was going to tell Max to keep his distance from Beth in the wake of Zach’s attack.  
“I noticed she seemed to improve in your presence today” he said.  
“Yeah I was just checking in, she asked me to stay” Max explained.  
“Well anyway I think you might have a good influence on her while she heals”  
Max just stared at him, not believing what he had just heard, he actually wanted him to spend time with Beth.  
“I’m not really a good influence Hershel” he said truthfully  
“Don’t sell yourself short Max, Beth trusts you Max and I trust you, she needs people she can trust in her life, Beth has had it tough, like all of us have but Beth is different, she still young and innocent and hasn’t fully adapted to this new world”  
“I’m not sure what you’re asking Hershel” Max asked  
“When she is fully healed I would like you to train her” asked Hershel.  
“You want me to train her to fight?” Max asked with a raised eyebrow.  
“I just want you to teach her enough to defend herself” Hershel replied.  
“I don’t know, wouldn’t you be more comfortable if Rick does it?” Max suggested.  
“I believe you might be more qualified and I think Beth would rather you teach her, would you do it Max?”  
Max found himself caving under the other man’s gaze, he wanted the chance to get closer to Beth and it was being handed to him.  
“Yeah I’ll do it” he promised.  
“Excellent Max, don’t tell her yet, I’ll inform her when she is ready” Hershel asked.  
“Yeah no worries” Max agreed.  
Hershel patted him on the arm and excused himself, leaving Max alone in the room.  
So Hershel wanted him to train Beth up, he had never been on the teaching end and he guessed that he couldn’t really draw from his own training so he would have to devise easier lessons.  
He gathered himself, there was no run scheduled so Max needed something to occupy his mind and process what Hershel had asked.  
He found himself wandering out into the courtyard and took in the warm sun, savouring it for a moment.  
“Hi Max” said a voice.  
Max opened his eyes to see Julie standing in front of him.  
“Hey Julie” Max replied cautiously.  
“Relax I’m not here to make trouble” she said holding up her hands.  
“Ok?” Max asked.  
“Listen after what happened last night, what you did for Beth, I won’t tell anyone how you feel about her” she replied.  
“How I feel about her?” Max asked with an edge to his voice.  
“Max I said I wasn’t going to make trouble and I meant it, I’m not that petty and besides I knew you weren’t that in to me” she replied.  
Max couldn’t help but let a small smile play across his lips and Julie laughed.  
“So friends Max?” she asked.  
“Yeah” Max replied  
“Good” she said, still smiling  
She walked off and Max felt slightly relieved, Julie was now one less problem he had to deal with, the day might improve after all..


	36. Chapter 36

When Beth woke again it was dark and she realised she had slept most of the day. Her head no longer hurt as much but she was famished and had a wicked thirst.  
Someone had left her a bottle of water on her desk, she grabbed it and gulped some down. With her thirst quenched she tested her voice but only a squeak come out and sighed.  
Beth wondered if she should venture out to get some food but world outside her cell was now terrifying to her and she silently hoped that someone would discover she was awake, someone like her father, Maggie or Max. She didn’t have to wait long as Maggie walked by and stopped as she saw that Beth was awake.  
“Oh you’re awake, how do you feel?” Maggie asked.  
Beth shrugged and moved her hand in a ‘so so’ motion and gave a weak smile.  
“Well you look better, you got to be hungry, you woke just in time dinner is ready I’ll go get you some” she said.  
She walked off and returned shortly with a tray of food and smiled as the smell of pasta filled the cell. Maggie placed the tray on the bed and handed Beth a fork.  
“Careful it’s hot” Maggie warned as Beth gathered some on the fork   
Beth paused as she was about eat, raised an eyebrow and gave Maggie a questioning look and Maggie just smiled.  
“Sorry, I’ll just let you eat” she said.  
Beth did so, the pasta tasted wonderful and thought back to last time she had it, the day she met Max and smiled at the memory. She quickly finished off the pasta and felt more than satisfied.  
“Want more?” Maggie asked and Beth shook her head.  
“Well ok, good” she said, contented Beth was full.  
Maggie picked up the bowl and the fork and took them away. Beth expected her to return right away but her father returned in her place.  
“Maggie said you were awake, how are you feeling?” he asked as he sat on the bunk.  
Beth reached for the note book she had been using to communicate with Max and wrote ‘I feel a little better now’.  
“That’s good to hear, but I still want you to rest” he said   
‘No worries I will’  
“That’s my girl” he said, then his face darkened.  
‘What’s wrong?’  
“That boy should have never have gotten his hands on you” he answered.  
‘I’m ok daddy really’  
“I know but its a fathers job to protect his daughter” he said.  
‘You had no idea he was going to do this daddy’   
Beth gave her father a reassuring smile and slipped her hand into his. He smiled back and squeezed it.  
“I did have a bad feeling about him and I’m so grateful Max was able to save you when he did’  
Beth was grateful as well, not knowing how she would be now if Zach had managed to finish.   
‘Daddy what are you going to do about Zach?’  
“You shouldn’t be worrying about that Bethie” he replied.  
She gave him a look but he wouldn’t budge on his stance. He gave her another hug and then ordered her to take some more of the pain pills and get some more sleep. Beth promised she would and he left her alone.  
She looked at the pills, she knew she should take them but she didn’t feel tired having just slept most of the day but her father knew best. She was about to take them when Maggie returned and sat down on the bunk.  
Beth could feel some tension coming off her and asked if she was alright. Maggie smiled sadly as she read the question and sighed heavily.  
“Beth I want you to know you can talk to me, you went through something and don’t want you to bury it”  
‘Ok I won’t’  
‘Good, you’re my sister and want you to be safe but I also want you to be happy, that night with the governor, what he did to me, I shut myself away and refused help so I just want you to know I’m here Beth” she continued and Beth could see tears welling in her eyes.  
‘I know Maggie and I love you for that’   
The two sisters smiled at each other as the emotions rose up in Beth and they embraced each other.  
They broke the hug and Beth wiped her eye as Maggie did the same and then they both laughed.  
“Now were both a mess” said Maggie and Beth fixed her with a look.  
“Ok sorry just a little joke, I probably should let you rest, take those pills and I’ll check up on you in the morning.  
Beth nodded, she swallowed the pills and Maggie tucked her in and left her to fall asleep.   
As she let the pills kick in Beth mulled over what Maggie had said and decided she wasn’t going to let her self disappear like she did back at the farm, she was going to live, otherwise her fear would own her.   
Beth woke to sunlight streaming into her cell and winced as she opened her eyes, her bruised eye was no longer as swollen and she could see through it but the light hurt her.  
She blinked repetitively as tears flowed from it and turned away from the light  
“Ow” she said and was very surprised.   
It came out hoarse but was clear and she couldn’t help but smile, and started saying random words.  
“They say talking to yourself is the first sign of madness you know” said a voice and she looked up to see Max standing outside her cell.  
“Max I can talk again” she said excitedly, it still hurt to talk above a whisper but she was happy to be getting her voice back.  
“So I hear, you’re healing fast” he told her.  
“Thanks I’ll feel a lot better but the light hurts my eyes” she said  
“Yeah It probably would, but some light will be good for them especially the bruised one” he explained.  
Beth nodded, she knew is was right but the sun still stung her eyes, she wanted to be strong in front of Max but couldn’t do that with her eyes all watery.  
“You gotta be starving, how about some breakfast?” he asked, changing the subject.  
“Breakfast does sounds good” she admitted.  
“Ok want me to bring you some? or do you feel like braving it out here?” he asked gently.   
“I don’t know” she replied.  
She wasn’t really ready to leave her cell, she would be safe with Max that wasn’t the issue, she didn’t want to face everyone in her state, having to endure their looks and questions.  
“It’s ok Beth, no one is going to pressure you if you’re not ready yet” he soothed.  
This sparked something in her, if that’s what people believed about her she was going to prove them wrong, remembering the promise she made to herself the night before.  
“No I can’t sit in here all day I need to get out, get some fresh air but um my eyes” she said.  
Beth hoped he would think she was just talking about the light and not how she looked, not wanting him to know she was worried about how everyone would look at her.   
“Ok I have something that might help.” he said and ducked away.  
He quickly returned and held out what he had retrieved. In his hand was a pair of wrap round sunglasses with mirrored lenses.  
“They’ll protect your eyes from the light and um cover..” he trailed off and sounded embarrassed.  
“Thank you Max they are perfect” she said and put them on.  
They were a little big on her face, obviously made for a bigger male head but they helped instantly, the sunlight becoming far more manageable and she felt more confidant with them on.  
Beth looked down at her clothes and realised she was wearing just a tank top and thin sleep shorts, Maggie had changed her while she passed out after the attack. It wasn’t really appropriate attire, she would need to change and most likely need a shower as well.  
“Um I might need to change” she hinted.  
“Oh shit yeah sorry” he said sheepishly.  
He stepped from the cell and pulled her sheet across as he did, she could see his shadow through the sheet, standing guard and smiled.  
Beth quickly changed, pulling on some jeans, a fresh top and her boots before stepping out of the cell.  
“Ready?” Max asked.  
“As I’ll ever be” she replied.  
They made for the mess and Beth’s nervousness grew and paused at the door as she saw the people inside. Beth froze to the spot and she considered just running back to her bed and hiding but then she felt Max’s hand on her back, urging her forward.  
“It’s alright Beth, you’re safe here” he murmured.   
“Oh Beth you’re up” said a surprised Maggie from where she was sitting.  
The room all turned and Beth felt self concious and touched her sunglasses nervously. Max touched her arm and they walked over to Maggie’s table where she was sitting with Glenn.   
“I was just about to check up on you, sit down I’ll get you some food” Maggie said and stood up to make Beth some breakfast.   
“Sorry I scared you yesterday Beth” Glenn said, sounding ashamed.  
“Its ok Glenn” she replied.  
Beth sat down but Max didn’t and turned to leave. A wave of fear crashed through her and she grabbed his hand.  
“Don’t go” she whispered.  
“You’ll be fine Beth” he said.  
“Please don’t go” she pleaded.  
Max seemed conflicted but finally nodded and sat down next to her. Beth smiled gratefully at him as her pulse slowed to normal.   
“Here you go” said Maggie as she returned.  
She placed a bowl in front of her and Beth tucked in, once again starving.   
“Where’s daddy?” she asked between mouthfuls.   
“I think he outside helping Rick, do you want me to go get him?” Maggie asked.  
“No its alright I’ll go see him in a bit” Beth replied.  
“Beth do you really need the glasses?” Maggie asked.  
Beth looked at her, startled and she touched the sunglasses involuntary.   
“Beth’s its ok nobody is going to think differently of you” Maggie said gently  
“I know, I want to keep them on” Beth.  
“She also needs to let her eye adjust to the light” explained Max, speaking up and Beth smiled at the support.  
“Ok, ok “ said Maggie accepting defeat and held up her hands.  
There was an uncomfortable silence as no one spoke. Beth knew Maggie was just trying to help and after their conversation last night she really did want it.  
“Do you want more breakfast?” Maggie asked finally breaking the silence as Beth emptied her bowl.  
“No I think I’ll be ok” Beth replied, now full  
“Alright, is there anything you want to do now?” Maggie asked her.  
“Um I think I might need a shower and then go see daddy” Beth suggested  
“Ok, do you need some help?” she asked.  
“Maggie I’m seventeen almost eighteen I think I can shower myself” Beth said a little exasperated.   
“Well ok then” Maggie replied sounding hurt and Beth felt bad.  
“Sorry Maggie I appreciate the offer” she said sincerely.  
“No I’m sorry Beth you’re right” Maggie replied.   
Maggie smiled warmly at Beth then stood up and took her bowl, Glenn gathered up the rest of the bowls and joined Maggie at the wash table leaving Beth and Max alone.  
“Thanks for that before and for staying” she said to him.  
“No worries I’m happy to do it but no one is going to hurt you Beth” he said   
“Well I did think that before” she said sadly and her voice wavered.  
“Did you want me to stay with you for the rest of the day?” he asked.  
Beth looked up at him to see a sincere expression on his face and her she felt a flutter and her pulse quickened again but this time not from fear.  
“You would do that?” she asked shyly.  
“Sure, I was a bodyguard back in DC” Max replied.  
“And you’ll be my bodyguard?” Beth asked.  
He stood up and offered his hand, she took it and he gently pulled her to her feet.  
“Of course Miss Greene, I’m at your service, where to first?” he asked.  
Beth let out a little giggle as he stood to attention, waiting for her answer.  
“Um shower I guess” she suggested.  
Maggie looked over from the wash table and threw her a concerned look but Beth just gave her a reassuring smile and headed for her cell with her dashing new bodyguard in tow..


	37. Chapter 37

The rest of the day after the conversation with Julie went smoothly and Max began to feel more relaxed. He was still a little pissed at the council’s indecisions but once again it wasn’t his place to protest.  
The looks people gave him stopped over the course of the day and Max had an inkling Hershel had a hand in telling people to leave him alone.  
Max was eating lunch when Carl walked over to his table and asked to sit down. He nodded and Carl sat and looked slightly distressed.  
“Something on your mind?” Max asked.  
“Yeah um listen, I there is something I need to tell you” Carl said sounding sheepish.  
“What is it Carl?” Max asked.  
“I heard Zach talking about Beth a few days ago and I should have said something about it” Carl replied.  
“What did he say?” Max asked.  
“It wasn’t nice things” Carl replied cryptically.  
Max didn’t need to know the details of the conversation Carl had overheard and could probably guess what Zach had been saying about Beth.  
“Hmm yeah I think I might already know” Max growled.  
“If I had know he would hurt her I would have told dad immediately” Carl said apolitically.  
“Its ok Carl it’s not your fault” Max soothed.  
“Still its pretty fucked what he did” Carl replied angrily.  
“Shouldn’t use that language Carl but you’re right” said Max.  
Carl nodded and stood to leave but Max stopped him before he could walk away  
“Carl if you hear something don’t hesitate to tell someone alright” he asked.  
“Yeah no worries, will do” Carl promised.  
After Carl left, a few more people thanked him for what he had done and Max felt a little a strange receiving praise. As a special forces soldier he had successfully completed so many black ops missions that the public had now knowledge of and had never received so much as a medal, but he had never been it it for the praise or glory, he did it because he could.  
“Mind if we join you?” asked Sasha as she and Ty approached his table.  
“Yeah sure” Max replied warmly.  
“Max can we talk?” Sasha asked as the siblings sat down.  
“Sasha let the man eat” Ty warned.  
“Listen I know it’s still to soon and after this morning I don’t blame you but we need to decide what we are going to do with Zach” Sasha said.  
Max sighed softly and pinched his nose, he couldn’t escape this and for the hundredth time wished he had just killed Zach.  
“You need to decide his fate” he answered.  
“But we can’t just kill him, Dr S is certain Zach’s leg will heal and then we should exile him, take him somewhere he can’t return” Sasha pushed  
“Sasha just stop girl, the man’s made up his mind so just let it go” Ty said softly.  
Max silently thanked the older Williams and Sasha fell silent but Max could tell she wasn’t defeated just yet.  
Max finished up his food and excused himself. He washed up his plate and headed out the mess.  
He stopped by Beth’s cell, someone, most likely Maggie had pulled Beth’s privacy sheet and Max didn’t want to disturb her and quickly moved on.  
The rest of the day went quickly, he didn’t see Beth but was just relieved she was safe in her cell and after a quick dinner he had a far better sleep than the night before.  
He stretched and rolled in his bed as morning greeted him and slowly got up. He dressed and decided to check on Beth before he did anything.  
As he approached her cell her heard whispering, he peeked into to see her alone and realised it was just her talking, she was getting her voice back. Her face looked slightly better, her damaged eye had opened slightly but it was still badly bruised and would be for a few more days.  
“They say talking to yourself is the first sign of madness you know” he joked, announcing his presence and she looked at him.  
“Max I can talk again” she said sounding happy.  
“So I hear, you’re healing fast” he told her.  
“Thanks I’ll feel a lot better but the light hurts my eyes” she said  
“Yeah It probably would, but some light will be good for them especially the bruised one” he explained and she nodded.  
“You gotta be starving, how about some breakfast?” he asked, changing the subject.  
“Breakfast does sounds good” Beth admitted.  
“Ok want me to bring you some? or do you feel like braving it out here?” he asked gently.  
“I don’t know” she replied.  
“It’s ok Beth, no one is going to pressure you if you’re not ready yet” he soothed.  
“No I can’t sit in here all day I need to get out, get some fresh air but um my eyes” she said.  
She looked embarrassed then Max realised he had some sunglasses that would assist her.  
“Ok I have something that might help.” he said and ducked away.  
He rummaged quickly through his pack and grabbed the sunglasses he had won from a force recon marine in a card game, they were custom made and had strengthened mirrored lenses and returned with them to Beth’s cell, handing them to her.  
“They’ll protect your eyes from the light and um cover..” he trailed off and tried not to refer to her black eye.  
“Thank you Max they are perfect” she said and put them on.  
She looked a little big on her but she didn’t seem to mind and appeared ready to leave but looked down at what she was wearing.  
“Um I might need to change” she hinted.  
“Oh shit yeah sorry” he said realising what she meant.  
He quickly stepped from the cell and pulled her sheet across behind him and waited till she was ready.  
It didn’t take long and she stepped out, dressed in jeans and a fresh top.  
“Ready?” Max asked her  
“As I’ll ever be” she replied.  
They walked to the mess, there were a dozen or so people inside eating breakfast and he sensed Beth tense up beside him. He could tell she was scared and he couldn’t blame her and he gently placed his hand on her back to calm her.  
“It’s alright Beth, you’re safe here” he said softly  
“Oh Beth you’re up” said Maggie from across the room.  
Max felt Beth tense again as the room all turned and noticed her nervously touch her sunglasses. Max lightly brushed her arm and the two of them made their way over to Maggie’s table where she was sitting with Glenn.  
“I was just about to check up on you, sit down I’ll get you some food” Maggie said.  
Max nodded at Glenn but he didn’t return the gesture instead more focused on Beth.  
“Sorry I scared you yesterday Beth” Glenn said to her.  
“Its ok Glenn” she replied.  
Max stayed standing as Beth sat down, he didn’t know if Maggie wanted him sitting with Beth and turned to see the older sister watching them. He made to leave but Beth’s hand grabbed his, stopping him.  
“Don’t go” she whispered to him  
“You’ll be fine Beth” he said, placating her.  
“Please don’t go” she pleaded, more firmly.  
Max looked at Glenn who smiled weakly and then to decided to comply with Beth’s wishes. He took the empty seat beside her and she smiled at him.  
“Here you go” said Maggie as she returned and put a bowl in front of Beth, who began eating immediately  
“Where’s daddy?” Beth asked as she ate.  
“I think he outside helping Rick, do you want me to go get him?” Maggie replied.  
“No its alright I’ll go see him in a bit” said Beth.  
“Beth do you really need the glasses?” Maggie asked.  
Max gave her a look and noticed Beth hand fly up to the glasses. Beth didn’t ‘really’ need the glasses but they would help her recover much faster without them.  
“Beth’s its ok nobody is going to think differently of you” Maggie said gently.  
“I know, I want to keep them on” Beth replied.  
“She also needs to let her eye adjust to the light” explained Max, speaking up and Beth smiled him.  
“Ok, ok “ said Maggie accepting defeat and held up her hands.  
No one spoke and a slight tension fell on the table, Max knew not to say anything and he could tell Glenn sure as hell wasn’t going to either.  
“Do you want more breakfast?” Maggie asked finally breaking the silence as Beth finished her food.  
“No I think I’ll be ok” Beth replied.  
“Alright, is there anything you want to do now?” Maggie asked her.  
“Um I think I might need a shower and then go see daddy” Beth suggested.  
“Ok, do you need some help?” Maggie asked and Max raised an eyebrow at the question.  
“Maggie I’m seventeen almost eighteen I think I can shower myself” Beth said, sounding a little exasperated.  
“Well ok then” Maggie replied, hurt evident in her voice.  
“Sorry Maggie I appreciate the offer” Beth said.  
“No I’m sorry Beth you’re right” Maggie replied.  
Maggie and Glenn then gathered up the tables bowls and took them to the wash table leaving him and Beth alone.  
“Thanks for that before and for staying” she said softly.  
“No worries I’m happy to do it but no one is going to hurt you Beth” he said  
“Well I did think that before” she said sadly and her voice wavered.  
Max wasn’t sure if she was going to cry and wondered if she was going to hold up. He didn’t want her to cry and decided he would help her feel as safe as he possible could.  
“Did you want me to stay with you for the rest of the day?” he asked her.  
“You would do that?” Beth asked shyly, looking up at him.  
“Sure, I was a bodyguard back in DC” Max replied.  
“And you’ll be my bodyguard?” Beth asked.  
He stood up and offered his hand, she took it and he gently pulled her to her feet.  
“Of course Miss Greene, I’m at your service, where to first?” he asked.  
Beth let out a little giggle as he stood to attention, waiting for her answer.  
“Um shower I guess” she suggested.  
Max nodded in agreement and they began to exit the mess but not before Maggie threw a troubled look their way. Beth didn’t mention it and they made their way back to her cell.  
“Oh you didn’t have any breakfast Max” she said suddenly as she paused in front of her cell.  
“Don’t worry, I sometimes skip breakfast” he replied.  
“Really? you sure you don’t want to get something?” she pressed.  
“Nah I’m ok besides I wouldn’t be a very good bodyguard if we deviated from the schedule” he replied.  
“No I guess not” she said, a teasing smile on her face.  
“Now Miss Greene if you would kindly gather you things, I can escort you to the showers” Max said in professional manner.  
“Of course” she said in a posh tone.  
She stepped into her cell and brought out a towel and her shower gear, indicating she was ready.  
“Please step this way Miss Greene” he asked, trying his best not to smile.  
He thought back to his days back in DC when he actually had to be professional, driving and guarding the ambassador to and at various parties, meetings and engagements. It was easy work but also tiring having to be present but invisible at the same time as the ambassador met with various other foreign dignitaries. The Australian ambassador wasn’t exactly a target, especially in DC but Max still had to stay alert, particularly when meeting with dignitaries who were.  
They reached the showers, Max held up his hand to stop her and checked inside, finding it empty.  
“Alright its clear” he announced.  
“No threats Corporal?” she asked, smirking.  
“No Miss Greene” he replied.  
She brushed past him and walked in into a stall, pulling the curtain closed behind her. Max waited patiently as she showered, thankful no one came to use the showers and found him just standing there.  
After a short while he heard the water stop and then heard her call out with fear in her voice.  
“Max are you still there?”  
“Yeah I’m still here” he answered.  
“Oh good” she replied sounding relieved.  
The curtain opened and she stepped out freshly showered and looking more lively. She blushed as she rubbed her damp hair with her towel and gave him a shy smile.  
“Sorry, I panicked a little” she said softly, sounding embarrassed.  
“Its ok Beth I wasn’t going to leave you”  
Beth nodded, she walked over to the sink and her face dropped as she saw her self in the mirror.  
“Oh” was all she could manage and Max stayed silent as she examined her self, carefully touching the bruising under her eye, wincing as she did.  
“D-do you think it will heal properly?” she asked, her voice wavering.  
“You’ll have it for a while but yes it will go away completely” he replied.  
Beth seemed to be happy with this but she put the sunglasses back on.  
“Um shall we go find my father?” she asked.  
“You’re running the show Beth, I’ll go where you go” he replied, giving her a reassuring smile.  
“Ok, Maggie said he was outside, maybe in the garden?, lets try there first” she suggested, her voice confident.  
The two of them made their outside and sure enough, they found Hershel tending to the prison garden and he smiled as he saw them approaching.  
“Well good morning Bethie, its good to see you up and about” he said warmly.  
“Hi daddy” Beth said as the two hugged.  
“And good morning to you as well Max” Hershel said, smiling at Max.  
“Hershel” said Max, returning the greeting.  
“How are you feeling Beth?” Hershel asked his daughter  
“I feel much better, I’m getting my voice back and my eye is better” she replied.  
“Let me see” he asked.  
Beth took off the glasses and Max saw her blink painfully as the bright sunlight hit her eye.  
“Hmm yes, still bruised though” he mused.  
“Max said it will heal back to normal daddy” she said.  
Max felt a little awkward that she revealed that to Hershel but the man just smiled.  
“Of course it will” he said and Beth beamed at him.  
“Thanks daddy” she replied happily.  
“Now what did you want to do today?” Hershel asked her.  
“I’m not sure” she admitted.  
“Well you should relax, take in some sun and enjoy the day” Hershel suggested, Beth agreed and Max and her left Hershel to his garden.  
“So where to now Max?” Beth asked.  
She sounded unsure of herself again and Max needed her to stay confident. He spotted Carol in the outer yard watching Mika and Lizzie and the other children play and wondered if maybe Beth would benefit from talking to the kids.  
“Well your dad said to get some sun, so let’s do just that and we can go see the kids, I’m sure they will be happy to see you” he suggested.  
Beth looked apprehensive at first then she nodded.  
“Ok sounds good, as long as you come with me” she said.  
“Of course Miss Greene, shall we?” Max replied.  
He indicated for her to start walking and they headed down towards to Carol and the others, hoping his plan wouldn’t backfire.


	38. Chapter 38

Beth smiled happily to her self as she and Max left the mess and walked to her cell, she then realised something and paused.  
“Oh you didn’t have any breakfast Max” she said.  
“Don’t worry, I sometimes skip breakfast” he replied.  
“Really? you sure you don’t want to get something?” she pressed.  
“Nah I’m ok besides I wouldn’t be a very good bodyguard if we deviated from the schedule” he replied.  
“No I guess not” she said, a smiled at him.  
“Now Miss Greene if you would kindly gather you things, I can escort you to the showers” Max said in professional manner.  
“Of course” she said in similar tone.  
She ducked into her cell and gathered her things, her towel and her shower gear and stepped back out .  
“Please step this way Miss Greene” he asked and Beth could see a hint of a smile on his face.  
Beth walked with him to the showers and when the reached the door to the shower room, Max held up his hand to stop her and looked inside.  
“All right its clear” he announced.  
“No threats, Corporal?” she asked.  
“No Miss Greene” he replied.  
Beth smiled at him and wondered what he would have done if there had been some else in the room. She pushed that thought aside and walked into one of the empty stalls. She undressed, turned on the water and stepped under the spray, gasping slightly as the cool water hit her body. She showered quickly not waiting to keep Max waiting but long enough that she thoroughly cleansed herself.  
As she turned off the water all she could hear was the soft dripping of water echoing through the room and a rush of fear shot through her.  
“Max are you still there?” she called out.  
“Yeah I’m still here” she heard him answer.  
Beth breathed a sigh of relief, she knew she was being irrational, but it would be a while before the anxiety went away completely.  
She dressed and pulled the curtain and saw Max was indeed still waiting for her and gave him a small smile as she dried her hair.  
“Sorry, I panicked a little” she said to him.  
“Its ok Beth I wasn’t going to leave you” he replied.  
Beth nodded, she walked over to the sink and her face dropped as she saw her self in the mirror. She looked terrible, her whole face was pale and her bruised eye and cut lip looked dreadful.  
“Oh” she whispered to her self, touching the bruising under her eye and winced in pain as she did.  
“D-do you think it will heal properly?” she asked Max, her voice wavering.  
“You’ll have it for a while but yes it will go away completely” he replied.  
Beth accepted his answer, knowing he was right but she still put the sunglasses back on. With her shower complete it was time to see her father.  
“Um shall we go find my father?” she asked Max.  
“You’re running the show Beth, I’ll go where you go” he replied, giving her a reassuring smile.  
“Ok, Maggie said he was outside, maybe in the garden?, lets try there first” Beth suggested, her voice sounding more confident.  
They left the showers and found her father in his garden and he smiled as he saw them approaching.  
“Well good morning Bethie, its good to see you up and about” he said warmly.  
“Hi daddy” Beth said as the two hugged.  
“And good morning to you as well Max” her father said, smiling at Max.  
“Hershel” said Max, returning the greeting.  
“How are you feeling Beth?” her father asked  
“I feel much better, I’m getting my voice back and my eye is better” Beth replied.  
“Let me see” he asked.  
She eased off the glasses and blinked painfully as the sun hit her eye.  
“Hmm yes, still bruised though” he mused.  
“Max said it will heal back to normal daddy” she said.  
“Of course it will” he said.  
“Thanks daddy” she replied happily.  
“Now what did you want to do today?” her father asked her.  
The question stumped her, she actually didn’t know what she wanted to do and fretted a little.  
“I’m not sure” she finally admitted.  
“Well you should relax, take in some sun and enjoy the day” he suggested and she agreed, sounding better than anything she could come up with and the two of them left her father to his garden.  
“So where to now Max?” Beth asked.  
“Well your dad said to get some sun, so let’s do just that and we can go see the kids, I’m sure they will be happy to see you” he suggested.  
Beth looked down into the yard where the kids were playing under the watchful eye of Carol. Beth was unsure at first, not wanting to deal with the children’s attention and inevitable questions but she was being irrational again and decided maybe it would be nice to see the them.  
“Ok sounds good, as long as you come with me” she said.  
“Of course Miss Greene, shall we?” Max replied.  
They walked through the gate and started down the hill towards the group. Carol saw her and waved and Beth waved shyly back.  
“Beth!” yelled Mika, spotting her.  
The kids stopped their playing and crowed round Beth and Max as they reached the group.  
“Ok ok settle down, give her some space” ordered Carol.  
The kids backed off and Beth silently thanked Carol with a smile.  
“Sorry Beth” said Mika softly.  
“Its ok Mika” Beth replied.  
“Alright back to play, for another ten minutes then back inside” Carol ordered.  
The kids returned to their game of tag and Carol walked over to stand next to Max and Beth.  
“How are you feeling today?” Carol asked kindly.  
“Yeah I’m ok” she replied.  
“Well that’s good news, and how bout you Max?” Carol asked.  
“All good Carol” he replied and Carol nodded  
“Max is my bodyguard today” Beth revealed, before she realised she probably didn’t need to tell Carol that.  
“Oh really?, well I hope you don’t consider me a threat Max” Carol joked.  
“Don’t worry your on the cleared list” Max replied smiling and Beth giggled.  
Beth wondered who Max actually considered a threat and what he would do if she felt threatened by them. She didn’t have time to pondered over this as Carol suddenly called out to the kids.  
“Ok play times up, lesson time”  
The children grumbled a little but began following Carol back up to prison as she headed that way, Mika paused and seemed like she wanted to ask Beth something.  
“What is it Mika?” Beth asked gently.  
“Is it all right if I give you a hug?” she asked shyly.  
Beth smiled at the younger girl and nodded, a hug sounded perfect.  
“I would love a hug Mika” she admitted.  
Mika gave Beth a warm hug and then sprinted off after the others, not wanting to be left behind, leaving Max and Beth alone.  
“That was nice” said Max.  
“Yeah it was” Beth agreed.  
“Do you want to hang out here or was there something else you wanted to do?” Max asked.  
“Oh um it is a nice day and daddy said I should get some sun, so lets just stay here for a bit”  
They sat on the ground and Beth nervously picked at the grass, racking her brain as she tried come up with something to talk about.  
“So um did you enjoy being a bodyguard back in DC?, was it better than being a soldier?” she asked finally.  
“Well its was different for sure, easier but could get boring and tedious at times”  
“Oh” she said, looking down and wondered if he was bored at that moment.  
“I’m not bored Beth” he said and Beth blushed.  
“So did you meet anyone famous?” she asked, changing the subject.  
“In a sense, I was assigned to the ambassadors detail, so I escorted him to meetings with foreign dignitaries and a couple of times to the white house”  
“Really?, did you meet the president?” she asked.  
“I was in a room with him once but never formally introduced” he replied.  
“The only famous person I met was the mayor of our town when his visited our school once” she said.  
“The mayor huh?, that’s pretty cool” Max teased.  
“Haha very funny” Beth growled and threw a clump of dirt and grass at him.  
Max laughed as he brushed the dirt off his shirt, he held up his hands and Beth giggled.  
“I surrender Miss Greene” he said, still laughing.  
“Well good, I don’t like to be teased Max” she told him, trying her hardest not to smile but failing miserably.  
“Duly noted” Max promised.  
Beth couldn’t keep the smile off her face, she felt more relaxed and comfortable than she had in the last two days and it was due to Max. Beth hoped the feeling would last as long as possible, but it wasn’t to be as Max looked past her and frowned.  
“Hmm what’s this?” Max mused.  
Beth looked over her shoulder to see what he was talking about and saw Bob, Dr S and Patrick walking in their direction and Beth hoped they weren’t coming over to them. Her heart raced as they got closer and she placed her hand on Max’s arm and he nodded in understanding.  
“Hey Beth, hey Max” called Bob.  
“Mind if we join you?” Dr S asked.  
“We just wanted to see how you were Beth” Bob explained.  
Beth didn’t answer,she really didn’t know theses three and didn’t know if she could begin to trust them just yet and she didn’t really feel like getting to know them either, especially not today.  
“Guys, not a good time” Max said, his tone making it clear it wasn’t a suggestion.  
The men looked crestfallen but left regardless, giving Beth sympathetic looks.  
“Thanks” Beth said to Max after they were gone.  
“No worries Beth” he replied.  
Beth felt disappointed that the good feeling was gone, but she knew what had happened to her couldn’t be ignored forever.  
“Max?” she asked nervously.  
“Yeah?” he replied.  
“What’s going to happen to Zach?” she asked.  
She expected Max to brush the question off and change the subject, thinking she wasn’t ready to deal with it.  
“I’m not sure Beth, the council is still undecided on what to do with him” he answered, surprising her.  
“Oh ok” she said softly.  
“What did you want done with him?” he asked.  
“Huh?” she stammered.  
“Well some want to kill him the others want to exile him when he can walk, what do want done with him” Max asked.  
The question perplexed her, yes she wanted justice for what he did but she couldn’t ask for his death it wasn’t in her nature so she guessed exiling him was the only option, she didn’t think she could handle living with her attempted rapist even with Max looking out for her.  
“Its ok Beth you don’t have to make a decision but you do have more than a say in the matter” Max said gently.  
Beth nodded but didn’t answer and went back to picking at the grass.  
There was a silence between them, Beth wanted to end it but didn’t what to say but was saved by the appearance of Maggie.  
“Well here you two are” she said cheerfully.  
“Hi Maggie”  
“I was wondering where you got to, what are you doing out here?” she asked.  
“Just enjoying the sun Maggie” Beth answered.  
“Well ok just don’t spend to much time out here, you know you burn easy” Maggie warned.  
Beth gave her an exasperated look and was disgruntled that Maggie was correct, she would get a sunburn soon if she didn’t get to some shade.  
“Ok maybe we should go in” Beth said reluctantly.  
“I didn’t mean to rush you Beth” said Maggie, sounding apologetic.  
“No its ok” Beth replied and stood up, brushing dirt from her jeans.  
Max got to his feet as well, gave Beth a reassuring smile, a smile that Beth had began to love and the three of them began to walk back up the cell blocks.


	39. Chapter 39

Max’s plan worked out better than expected, the kids had left Beth with a smile and little Mika had even given Beth a hug. Max sat with her in the grass and talked about his former life as a bodyguard and even a light teasing didn’t deter her improving mood, that was until Bob, Patrick and Dr S. wandered over. Max had felt Beth tense up and firmly suggested the men keep walking. Beth was indeed getting better but her fear of others would take a while to be extinguished…  
After Bob and the other had left Beth asked him about Zach and Max realised nobody had told her about him, he briefly considered changing the subject but Beth didn’t deserve that and informed her that the council hadn’t decided what to do with Zach and asked her what justice she wanted. Beth had seemed troubled by the question and Max didn’t expect an answer and he vowed to begin her training as soon as she was ready.  
There was a silence between them, not awkward but not entirely comfortable either, Max wasn’t sure what to say and was slightly relieved when Maggie appeared.   
“Well here you two are” she said cheerfully.  
“Hi Maggie” said Beth  
“I was wondering where you got to, what are you doing out here?” Maggie asked and Max picked up on the suspicious tone in her voice.  
“Just enjoying the sun Maggie” Beth answered.  
“Well ok just don’t spend to much time out here, you know you burn easy” Maggie warned.  
Max wondered if that was true, Beth was on the pale side and he had known girls back home who could burn easily without sunscreen. He believed him self to be correct when he saw Beth gave Maggie an exasperated look, still effective through the sunglasses and thought maybe they should find some shade, not wanting a painful sunburn to add to her ailments.  
“Ok maybe we should go in” Beth said reluctantly.  
“I didn’t mean to rush you Beth” said Maggie, sounding apologetic.  
“No its ok” Beth replied and stood up, brushing dirt from her jeans.  
Max got to his feet as well and the three of them began to walk back up the small hill.  
“Are you hungry Beth?” Maggie asked as they walked across the courtyard.  
“I’m ok but Max skipped breakfast, did you want to eat?” Beth asked him.  
Max wasn’t starving but he could eat, and thought he probably should keep his strength up.  
“Ahh yeah sure, sounds good” he replied.  
“Ok then”   
They entered the mess to find it empty as it was too early for lunch yet Max and Beth took a seat while Maggie made him and Beth a snack. Beth seemed relaxed again and she actually took off the sunglasses. Max grew a little enraged at the sight of her bruised eye again but forced it back down so he wouldn’t make her uncomfortable.   
Maggie quickly returned with the food, Max thanked her but she just gave him a look. He wolfed down the food and found he was actually quite famished. As he finished the last bite he looked up to see Beth smiling at him.  
“What?” he asked.  
“Hungry?” she asked and laughed.  
“Yeah a little” he admitted  
“Well don’t skip breakfast next time” she suggested.  
“Yes mam I’ll keep that in mind” he replied and smiled as a little blush filled her cheeks.  
“So I’m guessing you two have had fun today?” Maggie asked, with suspicion still in her voice.   
“Yeah we have” Beth answered truthfully.  
“Hmm ok” Maggie replied.  
Max could sense hostility coming of Maggie and he gathered up the empty dishes and took them over to the wash up area. As he washed the dishes he heard Maggie and Beth whispering harshly and tried his best not eavesdrop as he heard his name mentioned. He finished up, they stopped whispering and Beth gave Maggie a withering stare. They both gave him smiles as he walked back to the table, Maggie’s was fake and Beth’s was strained.  
Max pretended not to notice and sat back down in his seat, but the tension between the two sisters was thick. It was Beth who spoke first braking the silence.  
“Was there anything you needed to do today Max?” she asked in a forced normal tone.  
He didn’t really have anything pressing to do but he picked up on the stress in her voice and knew she was really asking him to give her an excuse to leave the mess. He gathered he it wouldn’t hurt to clean his weapons again and it would be a good jump start on her training.  
“I was thinking of cleaning some of my weapons later” he suggested to her.  
“Ok sounds like fun” she replied.  
She stood up, gave Maggie another look, put her sunglasses back on and began walking out of the mess. Max quickly followed not daring to look back at Maggie.  
“So to the armoury?” she asked, looking back.  
Her voiced sounded neutral but Max could tell she was pissed, he wondered what she and Maggie had been whispering about, he gathered he had something to do with it but didn’t think he should bring it up.  
“Yeah sure” he said and followed her as she walked towards the armoury   
“Beth do you want to talk about what happened back there with Maggie?” he asked as they reached it and paused outside.  
“No not really” she replied, giving him a sad look and took the sunglasses off.  
“I’m ok Max” she continued as Max raised an eyebrow.  
Max decided to take her word for it, she would talk when she was ready and entered the armoury.   
“Well ok before we start I gotta ask do you have an experience with guns?” he asked her.  
“A little, Rick gave us some shooting lessons back on the farm and I’ve handled a pistol a couple of times since” she replied.  
“Well all right then, you a good shot?” he asked, smiling and hoping it would cheer her up.  
“No not really” she answered.  
“Hmm maybe we can change that” he replied, trying not to give too much away.  
Max began to lay weapons on the armoury table and noticed her eyes widen as he pulled the Barrett from its bag.  
“What kind of gun is that?” she asked in awe  
“This here is a Barrett M82A1, 50 caliber anti material rifle” Max explained with a smile  
The rifle had belonged to one of his former squad mates at the embassy, it wasn’t exactly a requirement but the former sniper had kept it and Max had acquired it after his death.  
“Anti material?” Beth asked, confused.  
“Well it’s a sniper rifle but its classified as anti material because it fires theses” he replied and pulled out one of the 50 cal. rounds and handed it her.  
Her eyes widened again as she held the large bullet, turned it over curiously in her hand and an smile appeared on her face.  
“Can we shoot it?” she asked.  
Max looked at her in surprise as she gave him an excited and hopeful look.  
“I don’t know Beth” he replied.  
“Please?” she asked, her eyes wide and pleading.  
Max guessed it couldn’t hurt to make sure the rifle was in working condition but he also couldn’t just go firing off weapons without warning, he would have to make sure everyone knew what he was doing.  
“You want to see it in action?” he asked.  
She nodded and handed the bullet back to him, Max returned it and the Barrett back to the bag and picked it up.  
As they walked outside, they saw a small group including Rick, Glenn and Daryl standing around the outdoor cooking area.   
“Hey guys, what’s in the bag?” asked Rick as the reached them.  
“I was thinking of test firing some of my weapons, need to make sure they still work” Max explained.  
“Little target practice?” Rick asked with a smile  
“Yeah something like that” Max replied.  
“Max is going to show me the anti-material rifle” offered Beth happily.   
The smirks from the other men almost made Max cringe and he coughed awkwardly.  
“Well ok lets ahh go down over there, we’re going to need some space” Max suggested, pointing to the field.  
Max began walking, Beth followed and so did the others, now interested. He picked a spot and asked Glenn and Daryl to set up a target. They stacked some drums and ran back.  
“Is that a 50 cal?” Rick asked as Max set up the Barrett, unfolding the bi-pod attached to the barrel and lay it on the ground.  
Max nodded and began adjusting the scope, satisfied it was sighted in, he inserted the ten round magazine and pulled back the bolt, loading the first round.  
“Ok everyone, this going to be loud” he warned.  
He aimed for the top drum, flicked the safety off and carefully squeezed the trigger. The shot was almost deafening and reverberated throughout the prison, the bullet tore through the target drum, knocking it off its companions and ploughed through several walkers clawing at the perimeter fence.  
“Holy shit” exclaimed Glenn.  
“Wow” said Beth   
“And that is the devastating power of a 50 calibre rifle” said Max with a smirk.  
The other men demanded a go and soon a crowd gathered as several more shots rang out.  
“Wanna go?” Max asked Beth as Glenn had his turn.  
“No I’m ok” she replied, sounding scared at the suggestion.  
Max nodded, not wanting to push her, he would get her shooting during her training and besides a 50 cal rifle was probably not the best choice for her to begin on.  
“What’s going on here?” yelled Maggie as she walked towards them with Hershel close behind her.  
“Its ok Maggie we’re just having some target practice” said Rick.  
“Maggie you gotta try this, its awesome” exclaimed Glenn excitedly.  
“Do you think its wise firing off guns and attracting more walkers” Maggie snapped angrily.  
“Maggie relax we’re just having some fun” said Glenn but he sounded a little ashamed under his wife’s gaze.  
“Now, now Maggie, there has been no harm done” soothed Hershel, placing his hand on her arm.  
“That’s not the point daddy” Maggie continued.  
“Maggie just chill already” Beth snapped.  
Max and everyone turned to Beth staring angrily at her sister, with her fists bunched at her sides. Max hadn’t seen her this angry and looked like a true force of nature.   
“Ok how bout we all just settle down” suggested Rick, placing himself between the sisters.  
“You and I are going to have a talk” said Maggie, stepping past Rick and grabbed Beth’s hand.  
“Maggie” Beth protested and looked at Max for help.  
“Whoa easy Maggie” said Max as Maggie began pulling Beth away.  
“Don’t you think you’ve done enough today” she said angrily.  
Max just stared at her and made a tactical decision to stay silent, not wanting to ignite the situation further and gave Beth a helpless look as she was dragged away, followed by Glenn.  
The was an awkward moment and Max began packing up the Barrett as they others shuffled around.  
“Well that was tense” said Rick, braking the silence and Daryl snorted.  
“I’ve seen my daughters fight for days but they always make up, Maggie is just worried about Beth” said Hershel.  
Max gathered Maggie was angry Beth was spending too much time with him or perhaps it had to do with something else but hoped Beth and Maggie worked it out.  
Rick and the others left for other duties, leaving Max and Hershel alone, Max smiled weakly at the older man and he returned a warm one back.  
“Relax son, don’t worry about Beth, she and Maggie will work things out, you’ll see” said Hershel and patted Max on the back.  
Max just nodded, picked up the Barrett’s bag and began following Hershel as he walked back up to the prison, wondering if he was correct about his daughters and also wondered if Maggie would explode when she found out Hershel wanted Max to train Beth, thus spending far more time together..


	40. Chapter 40

Beth was no longer frighten and weary, she was furious and Maggie was the reason. She wished Maggie would just let her be but here she was, checking up on her, making sure she was fed, even though she had just eaten and now was voicing her displeasure about Beth hanging out with Max. Beth knew Maggie was only trying to help but she was going about in all wrong.  
Max had excused himself to wash up their plates when Maggie lent in and kept her voice low.  
“Beth, what are you doing?” she asked.  
“Huh?” Beth whispered back.  
“What are you doing with Max?” she asked  
“He’s just making sure I’m safe, we are just hanging out” Beth replied.  
“Well ok but I think you should stay here and not hanging out with Max” Maggie said firmly  
Beth fixed Maggie with an incredulous look, not believing what she was hearing, why was she so quick to assume Max was anything but honourable?.  
“I’m not going to stay here and I’m going to keep hanging out with Max” Beth whispered harshly.  
“Beth..” Maggie began but trailed off as Max walked back to the table.  
Beth gave him a strained smile, trying to appear like everything was happy and normal but she wanted to get away and asked Max what he had planned to do today, hoping he would pick up on her hint, continue his bodyguard duties and help her.  
Max to his credit seemed to pick up on what she wanted and said he had been planning on cleaning his weapons.  
The suggestion sounding perfect to Beth, in fact any activity with Max would be perfect and it would allow her to escape Maggie.  
She stood up, gave Maggie a stare, daring her to stop her, put her sunglasses back on and began walking out of the mess. Max followed her without a word  
“So to the armoury?” she asked, looking back at him.  
“Yeah sure” he replied and she began walking to the armoury.  
“Beth do you want to talk about what happened back there with Maggie?” he asked her as they reached it and paused outside.  
“No not really” she replied, giving him a sad look and took the sunglasses off.  
“I’m ok Max” she continued as Max raised an eyebrow.  
“Well ok before we start I gotta ask do you have an experience with guns?” he asked her.  
“A little, Rick gave us some shooting lessons back on the farm and I’ve handled a pistol a couple of times since” she replied.  
She thought back to the lesson Rick and Shane had given them back on the farm, it was so long ago and only could only remember a few of the basics.  
“Well all right then, you a good shot?” he asked.  
The lesson had only been brief over all and she had never been any good despite trying hard.  
“No not really” she answered.  
“Hmm maybe we can change that” he replied.  
He began pulling weapons out of bags and placing them on the table table and looked in awe as he placed a massive rifle down.  
“What kind of gun is that?” she asked him.  
“This here is a Barrett M82A1, 50 calibre anti material rifle” he explained.  
“Anti material?” Beth asked, confused by the word.  
“Well it’s a sniper rifle but its classified as anti material because it fires theses” he replied.  
He handed her a bullet that was easily six inches in length and probably the biggest bullet she had ever seen, she turned it over curiously in her hand and smiled as an idea appeared in her head.  
“Can we shoot it?” she asked.  
“I don’t know Beth” he replied.  
“Please?” she pleaded.  
“You want to see it in action?” he asked.  
She nodded and handed the bullet back to him, Max returned it and the Barrett back to the bag and picked it up.  
Beth followed him excitedly as the made their way outside, she wasn’t usually so excited over guns but the fact she would be seeing Max in action was changing her mind.  
As they as reached the courtyard they saw Rick, Glenn and Daryl standing around the outdoor cooking area and the two headed for them  
“Hey guys, what’s in the bag?” asked Rick.  
“I was thinking of test firing some of my weapons, need to make sure they still work” Max explained.  
“Little target practice?” Rick asked with a smile.  
“Yeah something like that” Max replied.  
“Max is going to show me the anti-material rifle” offered Beth happily.  
“Well ok lets ahh go down over there, we’re going to need some space” Max suggested, pointing to the field.  
Beth and the others followed Max as he walked to a spot in the field. She waited as Glenn and Daryl to set up a target of stacked drums and returned to the little group.  
She watched in fascination as Max set up the Barrett, unfolding the metal legs attached to the barrel and lay it on the ground. He looked through the scope then pulled back in the side of the rifle which Beth could only assume loaded the rifle.  
“Ok everyone, this going to be loud” he warned.  
Beth clamped her hands over her ears and stood back a little just as Max pulled the trigger. It was loud, crazy loud and she jumped in fright, despite Max’s warning. The bullet Max had shot knocked off the top drum and had kept going, hitting some walkers on the other side of the fence.  
“Holy shit” exclaimed Glenn  
“Wow” said Beth  
“And that is the devastating power of a 50 calibre rifle” said Max with a smirk.  
The other men demanded a go and soon a crowd gathered as several more shots rang out.  
“Wanna go?” Max asked Beth as Glenn had his turn.  
The question startled her, she was happy to just watch beside she didn’t think she was ready to shoot something so powerful.  
“No I’m ok” she replied and he nodded as if understanding  
“What’s going on here?” Beth heard Maggie yell as she walked towards them with daddy behind her.  
Beth groaned inwardly, Maggie sounded and looked pissed which couldn’t be good, she look ready to fight and it probably had something to do with how she and Beth and just left things.  
“Its ok Maggie we’re just having some target practice” said Rick.  
“Maggie you gotta try this, its awesome” exclaimed Glenn excitedly.  
“Do you think its wise firing off guns and attracting more walkers” Maggie snapped angrily.  
“Maggie relax we’re just having some fun” said Glenn  
Beth knew Glenn was fighting a losing battle and would pay for later and grew angry at the fact that Maggie could just roll in and start throwing her weight around, expecting everyone to accommodate her.  
“Now, now Maggie, there has been no harm done” said her father trying to sooth her, placing his hand on her arm.  
“That’s not the point daddy” Maggie continued.  
“Maggie just chill already” Beth snapped.  
Everyone turned to her but she didn’t yield, just stared at Maggie with the anger she was feeling, her fists bunched up.  
“Ok how bout we all just settle down” suggested Rick, placing himself between the sisters.  
“You and I are going to have a talk” said Maggie, stepping past Rick and grabbed Beth’s hand.  
“Maggie” Beth protested and looked at Max for help.  
“Whoa easy Maggie” said Max as Maggie began pulling Beth away.  
“Don’t you think you’ve done enough today” she said angrily.  
Max backed off but gave Beth a helpless look and Maggie began leading Beth away and up to the cell blocks as Glenn followed like a kicked puppy.  
“Maggie let go, what the hell is your problem?” Beth snapped as the walked through the empty mess and pulled her hand from Maggie’s grip.  
“My problem?, my problem is the fact that my seventeen year old sister, who has just survived an attempted rape, is preferring the company of a man almost twice her age instead of her family” replied Maggie.  
Maggie’s words stung Beth and she looked at Maggie in shock while Glenn just shuffled his feet.  
“Is that what you think?, you think I should be hiding in my bed, hiding from the world, expecting my family to protect me from everything?, huh? is that what you want?” Beth asked angrily and it was Maggie’s turn to be shocked as her eyes widened. Glenn coughed awkwardly and retreated away and Beth couldn’t blame him.  
“No, no at all I just don’t understand why you’re spending so much time with Max and avoiding me” Maggie asked.  
“I’m not avoiding you Maggie, I just want to move on from what Zach did to me, you and everyone else look at me like I’m about to break at any moment but Max doesn’t” Beth replied  
“I just want you to be safe” Maggie protested.  
“I know you do Maggie but you need to trust me and you need to trust Max” Beth said, getting more frustrated.  
“Now girls lets just calm down now, I did hope you two would be able to work things out” interrupted their father as he walked into the mess.  
Beth just stared daggers at Maggie but didn’t answer him, he sighed heavily and indicated for them to sit down.  
“You know I don’t like my girls fighting” he said as they took a seat at one of the tables.  
“We know daddy but Beth is being unreasonable” said Maggie.  
“I am not” Beth snapped.  
“Enough” roared their father.  
Beth cringed and looked down at her hands, Her father had always been a quite man but when he raised his voice they knew he was angry.  
“Sorry daddy” said Beth softly.  
“That’s better, now Maggie I understand you just want to keep Beth safe but she is safe and she is getting better and remarkable fast I might add” he said.  
Maggie opened her mouth, ready to argue more but closed it as her father raised an eyebrow and Beth couldn’t help but smile.  
“And you Bethie you need to cut your sister some slack, she is just trying to help” he growled in response.  
“Yes daddy” she said, apologetic.  
Beth was still pissed at Maggie but the anger was fading due to her fathers reasoning and gave Maggie a weak smile, who returned it.  
“There that’s better now there is something else I need to discuss with both of you”  
“What is it daddy?” Maggie asked.  
“Well it concerns Beth and before you voice your opinion Maggie I have thought this through” he replied.  
“Thought what through?” Maggie asked sharply.  
“I think it would be a good idea if Max trains Beth, teach her how to properly defend herself” he answered.  
Beth looked at her father in shock, and almost didn’t believe what she had just heard, did he really want her to trained by Max? she asked herself and a new excitement grew in her.  
“Do you really mean that daddy?” she asked.  
“Yes and Max has agreed to begin as soon as you are ready” he replied.  
Beth could tell Maggie wanted to add something but was once again swiftly silenced by their father before she could and she stood up and walked out.  
“Don’t worry about her, I’m not done with her yet and she’ll come around” he reassured.  
She nodded and allowed a smile to cross her face and he smiled warmly back before he stood up and walked off in the direction Maggie took.  
Beth sat alone for a while, lost in thoughts she decided she would try her best to patch things up with Maggie but then became far more interested in when Max would begin training her, and giggled excitedly to her self and hoped it would be soon..


	41. Chapter 41

The warehouse was almost pitch-black and foreboding and Max’s flash light barely cut through the darkness as he swept his rifle around. He had an uneasy feeling since they had found the building and the feeling was only growing…  
It was the day after Beth and Maggie’s confrontation and Max was glad to be away from the prison, at least for a short while. After the Greene sisters little spat, Max had made him self scarce, eating dinner alone not wanting to cause any trouble between the two and when Sasha asked if he wanted to join on a run he accepted gladly.   
The run crew consisting of himself, Sasha, Ty and Daryl, had set out early in the morning, hoping to find something of use.  
Max had be worried Glenn or Maggie would have joined them but neither had opted to come along and so it was just the four of them in the Bushmaster.  
They didn’t find anything of value until the early afternoon when they had come across a large facility that had once served as a distribution centre for a chain of supermarkets.   
Max had assumed they wouldn’t find much, thinking a place like this would have been raided long ago but the group decided to investigate anyway.  
The grounds of the facility was filled with walkers as Max and the others approached the gates, stumbling about and were thankfully trapped behind the fences for the time being.  
“So where do we start?” asked Sasha as they climbed from the Bushmaster.   
They peered through the fence of the main gate, deciding what to do as the alerted walkers piled against the chain link wire, desperately trying get at their food.  
Daryl pointed out a semi trailer inside the grounds that was parked up against the building and if they could get to it they could climb into an open window.  
Max didn’t want to risk the bushmaster too much but it was the best option to reach the truck so they piled back in and prepared to drive through the gate.  
“Brace yourselves” he said.  
The Bushmaster roared to life again and Max aimed it at the gate, smashing through it like tissue paper and mowed down the walkers behind it, their decaying bodies crushed harmlessly under the APC’s heavy wheels.  
Max drove the Bushmaster towards the truck and reached it with no drama, the walkers no match for the vehicle. He parked alongside the semi and he and the others climbed out through the roof hatch and jumped across to roof of the semi trailer.  
Once on the roof, they climbed through the open window and into the building. Max noticed the window was smashed from the outside and the truck had been parked in just the right position to reach the window and he became more alert.  
Inside they found themselves on a metal walkway in a darkened warehouse filled with tall aisles filled with shelves.   
“All right everyone stay sharp we might not be alone in here” he said quietly as he flicked on his rifle flash light and Daryl pulled a flash light of his own from his pocket.  
The others nodded and they made their way down to the ground floor, where they decided to split up, Daryl and Ty and Sasha with Max.  
The warehouse seemed to go on forever and the shelves were lined with food and others goods.  
“Wow we found a gold mine here” whispered Sasha.  
Max agreed but couldn’t shake the feeling he was getting, all this food and supplies still here and untouched and he’s suspicions were confirmed as a gunshot rang out and several bottles of soda next to him exploded.   
Another shot rang out, Max felt the bullet whip past his head and dove for cover, pulling Sasha with him.  
“Don’t shoot, we aren’t looking for trouble” yelled Sasha, but there was no response.  
Max groaned and kicked himself mentally, the warehouse wasn’t empty at all and now they were at the mercy of unknown number of enemies.  
He sensed movement behind him and swung his rifle to face the threat. Max heard a loud yell of pain and he realised his flash light had just saved his life as the woman in front of him dropped her weapon to rip a pair of night vision goggles off her head. Max didn’t hesitate and grabbed the woman, quickly incapacitating her.  
He picked up the now unconsciousness woman goggles and put them on, the dark warehouse turning an illuminated brilliant green.  
“Now this is much better” Max whispered to himself and switched off his flash light.  
More gunshots rang out and Max whipped his head up to see two men on a catwalk aiming at something below them. He raised his rifle and took them out before they could fire again, both of them falling off the walkway and landing heavily on the ground.   
Max rushed up to them and quickly retrieved the goggles they were also wearing and handed one to Sasha.  
“Sasha?” whispered a concerned voice.  
Max and whipped around to see Daryl and Ty in the next aisle crouching behind some boxes of cans.  
“You guys ok?” he whispered.  
“Yeah all good, can’t see shit, how they get the drop on us?” asked Daryl, loading a fresh bolt in his crossbow.  
“They’re using night vision goggles, we need to get out of here now, there is no doubt more of them in here” Max explained.  
Just as he said it, rapid gun fire erupted and bullets began hitting the shelves and boxes around them.   
Max and the others dove back for cover, he peeked around the stack of boxes he was hiding behind and picked up several figures running down the aisle towards them.  
“We need to move now” yelled Max as he fired off a burst in their direction, forcing them to take cover.  
Max and the others began retreating back the way they came as bullets whipped by them. They rushed up the stairs with Max in the rear, providing covering fire. He counted maybe six or seven, too many to try and take on but they seemed inexperienced as all of their shots missed, they weren’t military, just people defending what they had found.  
They reached the window they had came through and burst out into the sun, Max pulling off the goggles before he did. They jumped off the semi and down into the Bushmaster, Max slamming the roof turret hatch behind him as bullets sparked off the roof.   
“What do say we get the fuck out of here huh?” Max inquired as he jumped into the drivers seat.  
Max didn’t wait for an answer, fired up the engine, jammed the Bushmaster into gear and roared off, away from the warehouse and back out towards the gate. Bullets continued to ping off the Bushmaster but nothing short of a tank round or a missile could penetrate the APC’s armour.  
Once clear of the gate, Max drove at full speed, intending to put some distance between them and ensuring they weren’t followed and didn’t slow down until the warehouse was far behind them.  
“Everyone all right?” he asked, once he believed they were safe and he pulled off the road.  
“Yeah all good” replied Sasha with a shaky smile.  
“Fuck that was close” growled Daryl.  
“So what now?, go back to the prison or keep looking?” Ty asked.  
“Well I don’t know about everyone else but I think I’ve had enough excitement for today” admitted Sasha.  
Everyone agreed and Max started the Bushmaster back up and headed back towards the prison.  
Max gripped the steering wheel as he drove and realised how close he had come to biting the dust. He began to think what would happen if someone decided to take the prison and couldn’t blame the people for defending themselves. Max imagined a group just like his coming across the prison and he imagined them attacking it like they had just done to the warehouse. Beth’s face suddenly face flooded his mind and a horrible image of her being killed by a faceless enemy made him shudder and he gritted his teeth, he would never let that happen and would make good on his promise to Hershel to train Beth as soon a possible.  
After an hour or so the prison came into view and the group relaxed as Max slowed down to let Bob open the gate.   
As he drove through, Max began evaluating the prison’s defences and began making mental notes to bring up with Hershel and the council later, hoping any strengthening could prevent a disaster.   
After parking the Bushmaster, Max climbed down and stowed his vest and rifle in the back while the others headed inside. He began following them and noticed Beth sitting on one of the prison yard benches with a bright smile on her face, as if she had been waiting for him. She wasn’t wearing the sunglasses and Max could see her eye was getting better.  
“Hey” she called, jumping up and walking over.  
“Hey” he said back and her smile faded as she noticed his demeanour.  
“You ok?, did something happen?” she asked, fear and concern in her voice.  
Max didn’t want her to worry but he didn’t want to lie to her either and decided to tell her exactly what had happen. As he entailed her what had gone down on the run and her face paled.  
“That sounds scary but everyone’s ok though” she asked.  
“Yeah everyone’s ok” he repeated.  
“That’s good” she said, sounding extremely relieved.  
Beth smiled but shuffled nervously and Max gathered there was something else on her mind.  
“So um I didn’t see you at dinner last night and you were gone so early this morning that I didn’t get a chance to wish you luck” she said softly.  
“Yeah look sorry about that” Max said.   
“You’re not avoiding me are you?” she asked, hurt in her voice.  
“No of course not” he replied.  
“Oh ok I just thought after what happened yesterday and when I didn’t see you after, you might have decided to avoid me” she said, sounding worried.  
“Well I did decide to keep my distance but only because I didn’t want to cause any more grief between you and Maggie, I would never straight up avoid you Beth” he answered and her bright smile reappeared on her face.  
“Well that’s good to hear” she said, relief in her voice  
“So no trouble here?” Max asked, looking around the peaceful prison.  
“No nothing of note” she replied.  
They two began walking towards the cell block and into the mess, it was busy with people getting ready for an early dinner.  
“Ahh you’re back” said Hershel from where he was sitting with Maggie.  
“Yeah” Max said simply.  
“Everything go well?” Hershel asked.  
“No not really, everyone is fine but we ran into some trouble” Max replied.  
Hershel nodded but didn’t press any further, Max guessed he would ask Sasha and Daryl about the run later. He indicated the empty seats opposite him and Maggie, Beth sat down but Max hesitated. Maggie noticed him still standing and gave him a surprisingly warm smile.  
“It’s ok Max, take a seat” she said.  
Max nodded and did so, not questioning her apparent change of attitude towards him and gathered she and Beth must have worked things out between them.   
Carol appeared with a large pot and began serving up dinner with the help of Glenn, who placed some bowls and cutlery on the table before moving to the next table.   
“Thanks Carol” said Max as she ladled the stew into his bowl.  
It smelt and tasted delicious, he realised he hadn’t eaten since the quick lunch they had had before they had come across the warehouse.  
“Good?” Beth asked.  
“Sure is” he replied giving her a smile.  
“So um daddy said you agreed to train me” she said shyly.  
“Yeah if you’re ok with that” Max replied.  
Beth smiled and blushed and Max could tell she was very ok with him training her.  
“When do we start?” she asked.  
“Well that’s up to you” he answered.  
“Tomorrow?” she asked with barely hidden hopefulness and Max chuckled.  
“Hmm are you sure you’re up for it?” he teased.  
“Of course” she replied confidently.  
“Well all right then” Max laughed and Beth let out a little giggle.  
Their laughs caught the attention of Hershel and Maggie who had been talking quietly with each other but Max assumed they had been listening in the entire time.  
“So training begins tomorrow then?” Hershel asked.  
“It would seem so” Max replied, smiling.  
“How do yo plan to start?” Maggie asked.  
Max hadn’t really given it much thought but he figured he would start off easy, get her into shape, build up some muscle tone before moving on to some self defence, he didn’t need to turn Beth into a ninja, he just need to teach her enough to get her out of trouble.  
He explained his plan and Hershel and Maggie nodded in agreement, happy with his decision.  
Dinner was finished off, Hershel excused him to speak with Sasha and Daryl and Maggie, who was on clean up duty, started clearing.  
“So what time are we going to begin tomorrow?” Beth asked.  
“Not sure how bout dawn?” Max suggested dead panned and Beth face dropped.  
Max couldn’t keep a straight face for long and Beth hit his arm playfully as she realised he was joking.  
“Haha very funny” she said with a laugh.  
“Sorry couldn’t resist, no with all serious, probably after breakfast” he suggested.  
“Ok sounds like a plan” she said.  
They both laughed, there was a warm vibe between them and Max was glad he had survived the day.   
Maggie came back to the table and sat down, he could feel no tension coming off her but Max excused himself anyway. Beth gave him a disappointed look but it replaced by a smile after he promised he would see her in the morning for her training.  
Max left the mess and headed to his cell, it was still early but after the days events he was exhausted and needed sleep. He quickly undressed and dropped heavily onto his bunk and soon fell into a deep sleep.


	42. Chapter 42

Beth was feeling conflicted as she left the mess, she was very excited to learn that she would be training with Max but she also wondered how she would mend her relationship with Maggie if their father failed to convince her.  
She walked into her cell and began to restlessly tidy, something she used to do back on the farm to take her mind off things.  
Beth began with her desk and as she picked the notebook Max had given her, something fell out and Beth realised it was the photo she had stolen from him, having forgotten all about it. Beth smiled as picked it up, she considered returning it right away but chickened out, not wanting Max to know she had taken it just yet.  
Just as she placed it back in the notebook, there was a cough and Beth turned to see Maggie standing at her door with an apologetic look on her face.  
“Hey” she said softly  
“Hi” Beth replied in the same tone.  
“Truce?” Maggie asked, holding her hands up in surrender.  
Beth nodded and Maggie sat down on the bunk and Beth joined her.  
“Look Beth I just want to say I’m sorry for the way I acted today, it was uncalled for, my need to protect you made me act insane”  
“Did daddy tell to say that?” Beth asked, not quite ready to forgive just yet.  
“No he didn’t, I really am sorry Beth, I just got so caught up with trying to keep you safe that I didn’t stop to realise that you actually were safe” she replied.  
Beth let Maggie’s words sink in and gave her sister a warm smile, reaching out to touch Maggie’s hand.  
“So you’ll be ok with me being around Max and him training me?” Beth asked.  
There was a flash of hesitance of Maggie’s face but it was replaced by a smile.  
“I will be, he does seem to have your best interest at heart” Maggie replied.  
“He does Maggie” Beth confirmed.  
“I know, I know I’m agreeing with you Beth” Maggie said, smiling.  
“Sorry” said Beth.  
“So sisters again?” Maggie asked  
Beth nodded and the two hugged and both laughing as they broke their embrace.  
“Well I guess I better go find my husband and make amends there as well” said Maggie gave her another hug and went in search of Glenn, leaving Beth in a much happier state than she had been a few moments ago.  
She didn’t bother to finish off tiding, as there was no need for it now and went to find Max. She couldn’t find him anywhere and she began to worry slightly when he didn’t make an appearance at dinner.  
Her father noticed her constant looks at the door, as she hoped Max would wander through at any moment.  
“Max grabbed some food just before Beth” he explained  
“Oh ok” Beth answered and he didn’t elaborate further.  
“Now I’m happy to hear you two made up” her father said, changing the subject and directing his comment to both Beth and Maggie.  
“Thanks daddy” said Maggie as she and Beth smiled at each other.  
Beth was glad she had made up with Maggie but she now wondered if maybe Maggie had scared off Max.  
The rest of the dinner went quickly and Beth decided to turn in, she past by Max’s cell but couldn’t bring her self to see if he was inside, deciding to talk to him in the morning.  
As she readied her self for bed her father appeared and Beth’s smile faded slightly as she saw the familiar bottle of pain pills in his hand.  
“Daddy..” she began.  
“Don’t worry I don’t think you need them any more, I want you to have them on hand just in case” he soothed.  
Beth nodded and he wished her good night, leaving the pills on her desk. She looked at them for a moment before slipping into bed and falling asleep.  
When Beth woke and opened her eyes she was elated to find her eye no longer hurt. She dressed and was determined to find Max straight away, checking his cell first but found it empty.  
“Looking for Max” asked Glenn, yawning and heading for the mess.  
“Yeah” Beth answered shyly.  
“I think he’s gone on a run with Daryl and some others” Glenn answered and continued on his way.  
Beth wondered why Max hadn’t told her he was going and a small bolt of fear shot through her, suddenly the safety she had been building up eroded slightly as she realised Max wasn’t there to be her bodyguard.  
She knew she didn’t need it, she was safe, she had a massive argument with Maggie over the fact but she couldn’t help feel a little uneasy knowing Max wasn’t around.  
Beth took a deep breath and decided to take a shower before breakfast and gathered her things from her cell.  
There was only one empty stall and she took it before it too was taken. Once showered and redressed she stepped out to see Julie waiting for a free stall.  
“Morning Beth” she said.  
“Hi” said Beth back as she began to dry her hair.  
Beth hadn’t talked to her and even given her much though since Max had sworn he and Julie weren’t an item but she still felt a little jealous of the older woman.  
“Feeling better today?” Julie asked  
“Yes much better” Beth replied, being polite  
“Well you look a lot better” she pointed out.  
“Thanks” said Beth.  
Julie smiled again then took Beth’s vacated shower stall and Beth left the room.  
Beth continued drying her hair as she walked from the showers, heading back to her cell. Once she dumped off her things in her cell, she made her way to the mess to get some breakfast.  
Beth grabbed her self some canned fruit and picked an empty table to sit at. As she ate, not paying much attention to her food, Carol walked up with Judith in her arms, snapping Beth from her mood.  
“Good morning Beth” said Carol  
“Morning Carol” Beth replied with a small smile.  
Judith cooed and held her arms out to Beth as the little Grimes girl saw her. Beth hesitated and recoiled away from the girl, not wanting the Judith to be scared by her eye and not sure if she was ready to babysit again.  
“She misses you Beth” said Carol softly.  
Before Beth could answer she held out Judith and Beth had no choice to take her from Carol’s arms.  
“Hey there pumpkin” Beth said, rocking Judith.  
Beth expected her to cry but Judith smiled, let out a little giggle and Beth laughed back, relaxing completely.  
“So missed me did you?” Beth asked, ticking Judith’s stomach.  
The girl giggled again, her laugh echoing off the walls and causing those in the mess to look over and smile.  
“I was about to feed her, want to do the honours?” said Carol holding up a jar of baby food.  
“Yeah sure” Beth answered.  
Carol placed the open jar on the table in front of Beth and handed her a spoon. Beth began feeding Judith the food, who accepted it hungrily.  
“Carol?, did you see Max this morning?” Beth asked, casually as she could.  
“I did actually, just before he and the others set off, why do you ask?” Carol replied.  
“Oh no reason” Beth answered quickly and turned her attention back to Judith.  
Beth saw Carol smile knowingly and hoped she wouldn’t ask any more questions. She thankfully didn’t and Beth finished off feeding Judith.  
Carol took Judith from Beth and gave her a reassuring look as did and Beth looked at her, confused.  
“Everything is going to be fine Beth, now Judy let’s go find your father, say goodbye to Beth” said carol  
Beth smiled and waved goodbye to the girl as Carol walked off with her, looking for Rick. Beth quickly finished off her forgotten breakfast with new found vigour and decided to go look for her own father.  
She found him after a short search and should have guessed straight away where he was. Her father was once again in the garden, this time he was surrounded by the groups children as he gave them a lesson in how to plant seeds properly.  
“Well good morning Bethie” her father called as he noticed her walking over.  
“Morning daddy” she replied.  
“Hi Beth” said Mika happily.  
“Hi everyone” Beth said, addressing them all.  
Carl gave her a warm smile and Beth returned it, she was surprised he was here all but she suspected Rick had made him attend the lesson.  
“Ok everyone grab a seed and plant it like I instructed”  
The children all scrambled to pick a seed from the packet he had open in his hand and they began digging small holes in the dirt to plant them.  
“Something on your mind Beth?” her father asked, noticing her look.  
“Daddy um where did Max and the others go today?” she asked nonchalantly.  
“Oh well not exactly sure, Sasha and Daryl planned to just wing it” he answered.  
“Did Max asked to go along?” Beth asked, again trying to sound as casual as possible.  
“No I think they didn’t expect him to come but when Sasha asked he accepted” he replied.  
“Oh” she said softly.  
Beth wasn’t sure what to think but couldn’t dwell on it as Mika walked up and held out a bright yellow tube.  
“Beth did you want some of our sunscreen?” Mika asked cheerfully.  
Beth stared at her for a moment before taking the tube and her father let out a deep chuckle.  
“Maggie was out here before, don’t worry it’s not just about you, she’s just making sure all the kids don’t get sunburns” he reassured as Beth gave him and exasperated look.  
She sighed but applied the cream to her face and arms and thanked Mika as she handed the tube back to her.  
Beth spent the majority of the morning helping the kids plant different types of plants, she worked diligently but Max still plagued her mind. She hoped he would be ok out there on the run, but she also fretted about what would happen when he came back, was he still going to train her or was he going to keep his distance?, had Maggie scared him away?, and why did he leave without saying goodbye?. The questions swirled through her brain, making her angry.  
“You ok Beth?” asked Carl, who was working beside her, making her jump.  
“Huh?”  
“You’ve just planting the same seed for a while now” he replied, sounding concerned.  
Beth looked down at her hands and saw he was correct, she blushed and he gave her a smile.  
“Oh yeah” she replied sounding embarrassed.  
“A lot on your mind?” he asked.  
“Yeah something like that” Beth admitted.  
Carl gave her another small smile but went back to his work, Beth wasn’t offended, he didn’t need to listen to her teen girl drama. She decided she had enough of planting and stood up to dust the dirt of her hands.  
She said goodbye to everyone and made her way back inside, relishing the cooler air. Beth wasn’t sure what to do next, she didn’t have any chores as everyone wanted her to recuperate instead. She considered reading but then remembered the book she was currently reading had been left in the library.  
A cold feeling washed over her as fragmented memories came flooding back. She still hadn’t been able to remember the whole event and was grateful but the parts she could were still vivid and terrifying. It was another reason she missed and needed Max’s company, he quelled all her fears.  
“Beth?”  
She turned to see Maggie looking concerned and Beth kicked herself, it was the second time she had spaced out in a matter of minutes but for two completely different reasons.  
“Oh hi Maggie” Beth answered.  
“You ok?” she asked.  
“Yeah fine I was um going to read for a bit but my book is..” she trailed off  
Maggie looked confused then her eyes lit up with understanding.  
“Say no more I’ll go get it for you” Maggie promised.  
Beth smiled gratefully at her sister and waited in cell for Maggie to return.  
She didn’t have wait long and Maggie returned with the book and a couple of others she though Beth might enjoy.  
Beth thanked her and Maggie left her to read, Beth settled in, reading until Maggie returned again bringing her some lunch which they ate together.  
It was late afternoon when Beth realised Max and the others had still not returned and she began to worry. She couldn’t concentrate on her book and shut it in frustration, throwing it down on the bed. Getting up, she wandered into the mess and found it busy with the dinner crew, getting ready for dinner.  
Beth noticed Maggie and their father had already chosen a table and they both smiled as she joined them.  
“I was just about to come get you” Maggie announced.  
“Any word from Max and the others” Beth asked them, trying not to sound to worried.  
“No Bethie I’m afraid not, but I’m sure they are perfectly fine” replied her father.  
Suddenly the Carl burst into the room with a bright smile on his face.  
“Hey the others are back” said Carl to the room.  
Beth looked up in surprise and rushed to see for herself, running outside as fast as she could. She saw the Bushmaster driving through the main gates and a weight lifted off her.  
She took a seat on one of the benches, waiting for them to reach the prison and couldn’t help but smile as Max stepped from the drivers side.  
They were ok, she was glad Daryl, Ty and Sasha were safe but she was over joyed Max had returned safely.  
He noticed her and she walked over to join him. Max looked tired and exhausted, her heart froze slightly and she wondered what was wrong.  
“You ok?, did something happen?” she asked.  
Max told her what had happened that day, they had been attacked and had barely escaped with their lives.  
“That sounds scary but everyone’s ok though?” she asked despite knowing the answer all ready.  
“Yeah everyone’s ok” he confirmed.  
“That’s good” she said, smiling at him  
Beth was didn’t want to bother him more, especially after what he had been through but there was something she needed to know, something that had been bugging her all day.  
“So um I didn’t see you at dinner last night and you were gone so early this morning that I didn’t get a chance to wish you luck” she said softly.  
“Yeah look sorry about that” Max said.  
“You’re not avoiding me are you?” Beth asked.  
“No of course not” he replied.  
“Oh ok I just thought after what happened yesterday and when I didn’t see you after, you might have decided to avoid me” she said.  
“Well I did decide to keep my distance but only because I didn’t want to cause any more grief between you and Maggie, I would never straight up avoid you Beth” he answered.  
“Well that’s good to hear” she said now feeling more relived.  
“So no trouble here?” Max asked, looking around the peaceful prison.  
It had been a boring day compared to his and had nothing really to report.  
“No nothing of note” she replied.  
Beth began walking back toward the cell block, with Max alongside her and they entered the mess. Beth’s father greeted Max and asked how the run went, but Max declined to go into detail.  
Beth sat down at the table and noticed Max didn’t. She watched him and Maggie look at each other and Beth began to suspect her theories were correct but Maggie gave him smile and invited him to sit. Beth let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and relaxed again.  
Carol walked up with Glenn and began serving the rabbit stew she had made that day. Beth watched Max attack his stew hungrily and smiled as he looked up.  
“Good?” Beth asked.  
“Sure is” he replied giving her a smile.  
There was a relaxed air between them and Beth decided to find out something else she wanted to know.  
“So um daddy said you agreed to train me” she said shyly.  
“Yeah if you’re ok with that” Max replied and she felt her self blush, of course she was ok with that.  
.“When do we start?” she asked.  
“Well that’s up to you” he answered.  
“Tomorrow?” she asked, trying not to sound to hopeful.  
“Hmm are you sure you’re up for it?” he teased.  
“Of course” she replied confidently.  
“Well all right then” replied Max and they both laughed.  
Their laughs caught the attention of her father and Maggie who had been talking quietly with each other and he asked if her training would beginning the next day, Max confirmed this and Maggie asked how he would begin to which Max answered he would start off easy, a getting Beth into shape and the like. Beth wasn’t exactly sure what that meant but was excited to begin regardless.  
Dinner was finished off, her father excused him to speak with Sasha and Daryl and Maggie, who was on clean up duty, started clearing.  
“So what time are we going to begin tomorrow?” she asked Max once they were alone.  
“Not sure how bout dawn?” Max suggested  
Beth thought he was being serious but she noticed a smile creep wider on his face and realised he was messing with her. She gave him a look and hit him in the arm  
“Haha very funny” she said, laughing.  
“Sorry couldn’t resist, no with all serious, probably after breakfast” he suggested.  
“Ok sounds like a plan” she replied.  
Maggie returned and Max excused himself, Beth was a little disappointed but he was tired and she would see him in the morning.  
“Well I guess you better get a good nights sleep as well Beth, don’t want to be to tired for tomorrow” Maggie teased.  
Beth agreed with her and retired to her cell, she was too excited to sleep just yet and lay staring until sleep finally took her and gave her vivid dreams of what the next day might hold..


	43. Chapter 43

“Ok Beth just give me five more and you can stop” Max asked.  
He saw Beth grit her teeth but she complied, finished her set of sit ups and stopped to catch her breath.  
They had started her training after breakfast, just like he promised. Beth had met him in the mess, ready and eager to go, dressed in one of her tank tops and a pair of shorts and her whole outfit almost took his breath away.  
After regaining his composure, Max made sure that Beth had a proper breakfast then took her outside to begin. He had started out with a few easy laps around the perimeter of the yard then a set push ups then the set of sit ups she had just completed.  
Max was already impressed with Beth’s effort and knew she was going to be a excellent student. He handed her a water bottle and she took it gratefully, gulping a mouthful down.  
“Easy sips remember” Max warned.  
“I remember” she said and gave him a smile.  
“Well good”  
Beth took another sip but this time slower and then sprayed her face to cool herself off. The water ran down her face and throat and Max reluctantly averted his eyes as the water soaked the front of her thin top.  
“So what now?” she asked and Max coughed, hoping she hadn’t caught him staring.  
He decided to repeat the training routine but added a set of chin ups at the end. Beth struggled with them and was only able to manage two properly before giving up. She made a frustrated noise and blushed in embarrassment when she turned to look at him.  
“It’s ok Beth, don’t feel discouraged” Max reassured her.  
Beth nodded but Max could tell she was embarrassed with herself and decided it good idea to take a break, he didn’t want Beth to get frustrated and disheartened so quickly.  
A small, grateful smile appeared on her face and they walked back the mess to get some lunch.  
“So how do you think I’m doing so far?” she asked as they walked.  
“You’re doing great” he answered truthfully.  
“You really mean that?” she asked, sounding unsure.  
“Of course” he replied.  
Beth smiled, another blush filled her cheeks and Max notice a spring in her step and once again found himself trying his best not to look at her legs.  
The mess was full, they quickly grabbed some food and sat at a table with Rick and Carl before the empty seats were taken.  
“How goes the training?” Rick asked.  
“Yeah really good actually” Max answered, giving Beth a smile.  
Rick nodded slightly and Max got the impression Rick didn’t believe him or didn’t have faith in Beth’s abilities, either way it put Max a little on edge.  
“So about what happened yesterday, do you think its feasible to return, from what Daryl said the rewards outweigh the risks” said Rick.  
“Yeah the warehouse was pretty stocked but it would be too dangerous to go back, we don’t how many there were or how they will respond, they would have strengthened their defences by now” offered Max, after sensing Beth tense up beside him.  
“We could make a deal with them” Rick suggested.  
“I guess we could but it would most likely be met with high suspicion” Max replied.  
“Still we can’t let such an opportunity slip by” Rick pressed.  
Max felt Beth tense up again and she was moving her food around her plate. He could tell she was listening intently to the conversation, as was Carl but while Carl seemed to agree with his father, Beth gave off the impression going back to the warehouse was a terrible idea and Max agreed with her.  
“That maybe so but I would only go back with solid detailed info, numbers, layout, that sort of stuff, I’m not looking to go through yesterday any time soon ” he said with finality in his tone.  
Rick seemed to be disappointed with Max’s answer but thankfully dropped the subject and they all finished off their lunch.  
“Was it scary yesterday?” Beth asked as Rick and Carl excused themselves to wash up their plates.  
“Well I wouldn’t say I was scared but I don’t like to be surprised and a certainly don’t like to be shot at” Max replied.  
“I don’t know what I would have done, I would have been terrified” Beth said, looking down at her hands.  
“We are going to change that Beth” Max said to her and she looked back up at him.  
“Well what’s next then?” she asked with regained confidence.  
“Another work out session” Max replied.  
Beth nodded with a smile, they cleaned up the remains of their lunch and headed back outside.  
The session went better than expected and though he would never admit it, he was actually proud of Beth as she competed her second session, even when she failed the chin ups again.  
“Max?” Beth asked as she rested, taking a swig from her water bottle.  
“Yeah?” he answered, taking a seat beside her.  
“I was just wondering what exactly else we will be doing?, with my training I mean?” she asked.  
“We will just be sticking with the workouts for now, gotta build up your strength and endurance more and then we’ll move on to some self defence techniques” Max answered.  
“Will my workouts really help?” she asked.  
“With your ability to defend your self?” he replied.  
“Sorry, stupid question” Beth replied, playing with her bracelets and looked embarrassed.  
“Nah it’s a valid one Beth, yes getting into shape, building up some muscle will give you a nice advantage when it comes to defending yourself” he replied.  
Her embarrassed look faded and was replaced by a happier one  
“Was your training like this?” she asked.  
“Huh?”  
“You know when you joined the army?” she asked.  
“Oh yeah but a lot more strenuous, physical and a lot more yelling” Max answered.  
Basic training had been a bitch and had almost destroyed him but he had prevailed and had become a model soldier despite the events leading up to his enlistment.  
“So just like in the films, where they have to climb ropes and climb under wires and stuff?” she asked.  
“Yeah something like that” Max replied.  
Max looked at her in a new light, he didn’t think Beth was the type to watch war films but then again he had no idea what type of films she watched and decided to find out sometime.  
“Max um I know you said you wanted to be a pilot but what made you join the army?, was it because of your dad?” she asked shyly.  
Max averted his eyes and didn’t answer, it wasn’t something that he talked about or brought up and was actually a dark chapter in his life.  
“Oh I’m sorry I didn’t mean to pry, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to” Beth said.  
“No it’s ok Beth, its kinda complicated, my plan in high school had always been the same, go to flight school then join my parents business” he explained.  
He saw Beth listening intently, her eyes wide and Max pushed on.  
“After their deaths I kinda fell of the rails, I stopped going to school and I started hanging out with a less than reputable crowd and things just spiralled out from there, I ended up stealing a car and getting caught”  
“Oh Max” Beth whispered and Max looked away from her.  
“Yeah the judge wanted to make an example of me but luckily a family friend who was a serving general in the army managed to work out a deal and gave me a choice, join the military or serve time”  
“And you picked the army” Beth stated obvious answer.  
“Yeah” he replied lowly, rubbing at the back of his neck  
Max wondered how Beth would process this information about him and still didn’t dare to look back her. He felt her hand on his arm and turned to see a sad expression on her face but he could see no fear or judgement in her eyes and he relaxed.  
“Well enough memory lane talk, too much of a downer” Max said, changing the subject.  
“Max?” she asked softly.  
“Yeah?”  
“If um you ever need to talk about anything I’m here” she replied.  
“I’ll keep that in mind but you have to promise not to slack off on your training” he asked, giving her a warm smile.  
“Don’t worry I wouldn’t dream of it” she promised with a smirk, they both laughed and the heavy mood was lifted.  
“Ok how bout we call it a day on the training, can’t keep you here all day” he suggested.  
“I don’t mind” she replied with a smile.  
“Taking a break?’ called a voice, surprising both of them.  
They turned to see Hershel walking over to them with a warm smile on his face.  
“Hi daddy” said Beth and getting up to greet him.  
“Hows the training going?” he asked, his question subtly aimed at Max.  
“Beth is doing great” Max replied and Beth beamed at him.  
“Excellent, just what a wanted to hear” said Hershel, giving Beth a hug.  
“Did you need something daddy?” Beth asked Hershel politely.  
“Ahh yes” he replied suddenly sounding sheepish.  
“Daddy?” Beth pressed.  
“Would you mind watching Judith?, Carol isn’t feeling to well” he asked.  
Max saw a flicker of hesitance and maybe disappointment but Beth smiled and nodded.  
“Oh sure ok, I’ll um go take a shower first” she replied.  
“Thank you Beth”  
“I’ll talk to you later Max?” Beth asked him, giving him a longing look, like she wanted to talk more.  
“Of course” he promised  
Beth and Hershel left, heading for the cell blocks and leaving Max to his thoughts. His conversation with Beth had brought up some painful memories and he hadn’t revealed the entire story.  
Max had been shattered after his parent’s crash and the people he kept company with after were criminals, drug dealers and car thieves. Max had started smoking weed as a way to cope with his parents death and an old friend soon introduced him to the towns underworld. Max began dealing, going back to school just to sell to his fellow students, a decision that still haunted him. His life as drug dealer only ended when one night he stole a car as an initiation test. But the police had been lying in wait and caught him and when they did, not only was he in a stolen car but he also had his stash of illicit goods on him. The rest of the story was the same, his fathers friend, General Steven Walsh had learned of Max’s plight and set up the deal which led Max to escape his prison sentence and Max was still grateful for the General’s rescue.  
Max snapped himself from his memories and made his way to the cell block, deciding a shower would be great idea, help him refocus.  
He walked into the cell block and grabbed his shower gear and headed to the showers. He didn’t see Beth inside the room and no one else was showering, assumed she was already done and quickly took his shower.  
Once freshly cleaned he returned to the cell block to find Beth sitting on the steps bouncing Judith happily on her knee.  
“Hey” she said as she saw him.  
Max smiled back at Beth and Judith made a cooing noise, holding out her hand towards him.  
“Well hello Judith” Max said, ticking her stomach and the girl giggled.  
Beth smiled then her face grew serious and Max waited for her to speak her mind.  
“Max I meant what I said before, I know I’m young and not as experienced as others here and I don’t want to risk you not training me but I’m willing to listen if you need to talk” she said.  
Her eyes were wide and shimmering and Max could tell she wanted Max to take her words seriously. Max wasn’t just ready for Beth to know all of his secrets just yet, she didn’t deserve the burden of knowing them but her offer meant a lot.  
“I wouldn’t stop training you Beth and I do appreciate the offer” he said, trying to sooth her fears.  
Max didn’t have to worry as a deep blush appeared on her face followed by a smile before she looked down at Judith.  
“Well I better go feed this little one before she gets cranky” Beth said changing the subject, her voice overjoyed, but not at the idea of feeding the girl.  
She stood up, cradling Judith in her arms and began walking to the mess, stopping before she did.  
“Save you a seat at dinner?” she asked.  
“Yeah sounds good” Max replied.  
He watched her leave and and couldn’t help but smile. Max wondered what would happen if he did open himself up to her and if she would she still see him the same way once he did…


	44. Chapter 44

Beth had woken early, unable to sleep any longer due to her excitement dressed, choosing an outfit that was practical and hoped would catch Max's eye before applying some sunscreen, wishing she had Max's gorgeous tanned skin.  
Beth had found Max waiting for her in the mess and was delighted to find he most definitely noticed what she was wearing.  
Beth enjoyed the workout session, it wasn’t too strenuous for her and she guessed Max was starting out easy. She was a little disappointed in her self over the chin ups but Max encouraged her regardless.  
The lunch after had been a slightly tense affair as they sat with Rick and Carl. Rick wanted to know about the warehouse and about going back. Beth was worried Rick may have convinced Max to return but her worries were unfounded.  
The rest of the afternoon went great, Beth still enjoying herself and learning what she could from Max but it was after the workout, when he had revealed a little of his past, a dark secret he had been hiding that she took most from the session..

As she showered, washing off her accumulated sweat, Max’s confession was playing through her head. She never would have imagined Max anything other than than a hero but everyone wasn’t perfect and it wouldn’t change how she saw him, in fact it made him more mysterious. Beth hoped he would take her up on her offer to listen, needing to know more about him,  
The thought of him revealing his secrets to her made her smile and she began to hum happily and before she realised, began to sing.  
She finished up, dried, dressed and pulled the shower curtain to see Maggie washing her hands.  
“Well it’s good to hear you singing again” said Maggie happily.  
“It’s been a good day” Beth explained with a smile.  
“Hmm I can tell, your training went well I assume?” Maggie asked.  
Beth was glad Maggie had gotten over her distrust of Max but she wasn’t going to tell Maggie exactly why she was so happy.  
“Yeah it did actually” Beth replied.  
They walked from the shower room to the cell block, Maggie excused her self and Beth continued onto Rick’s cell, where her father had informed her Carol was with Judith.  
As promised Carol was sitting with Judith and gave Beth a small smile as she saw her.  
“Hi Carol”  
“Hey Beth”  
“Daddy said you needed me to take care of Judith?” Beth asked.  
“Yes, thanks for this Beth” Carol answered.  
“No worries Carol, are you ok though?” Beth asked her.  
“Just a little under the weather I think” Carol replied.  
Carol gave her another thankful smile and left, stating she would go have a nap. Beth turned to Judith who was sitting in her crib, playing with her toys.  
“Hey Judy” said Beth, picking her up.  
The girl giggled and reached for Beth’s necklace once again, gripping it in her little hand. Beth carried her out of the cell and sat down on the stairs. She began bouncing Judith gently on her knee, who giggled happily in response.  
Beth looked up to see Max walk into the block, he was freshly showered as well and she smiled at him.  
“Hey” she said  
Max smiled in response and Judith made a cooing noise as she saw him.  
“Well hello Judith” Max said, ticking her stomach and the girl giggled.  
Beth smiled at him, liking how he was with the girl and couldn’t believe the man standing before her was once the boy he had described. Beth wondered what else had changed Max into what he was today and decided to remind him of her offer.  
“Max I meant what I said before, I know I’m young and not as experienced as others here and I don’t want to risk you not training me but I’m willing to listen if you need to talk” she said.  
“I wouldn’t stop training you Beth and I do appreciate the offer” he replied.  
Beth’s heart sang, Max had given her the answer she had wanted to hear and felt her self blushing. She looked down at Judith to hide her face and came up with an excuse that she needed to feed Judith, which probably wasn’t far from the truth and walked to the mess but not before promising him she would save him a seat at dinner.  
The mess was empty except for Karen, Bob and Sasha who were busy preparing dinner for the group.  
“Hi everyone” she announced.  
Beth was greeted with smiles and hellos, she returned them and sat down at one of the tables, placing Judith on her lap.  
“So how was the training?” Sasha asked.  
Everyone seemed to be interested in her training and she wasn’t used to the attention, she used to being in the background just being Beth. Now, after her attack and beginning her training she was the centre of attention.  
“It was good” Beth answered.  
“I bet it was” said Sasha with a grin, causing Beth to blush.  
Beth stayed in the mess, playing with Judith, feeding her while the others cooked and talked. She noticed with interest the looks Bob was giving Sasha and the playful banter between them and smiled to herself. Its seemed, even in the end times, love found a way to work its magic.  
It soon grew dark and people began filling in for dinner, Carl came over and took Judith off her hands as her family sat at her table, Glenn went to sit next to her but she stopped him.  
“Oh um sorry Glenn that’s for Max” she explained.  
He nodded and sat at the other empty seat next to Maggie, while she smiled and her father chuckled. Beth averted their eyes and looked over to see Max enter the mess. She felt that rush again as they locked eyes and he made a beeline for the table, taking his reserved seat.  
“Evening” he said  
The all greeted him in turn as the dinner crew served up dinner.  
Dinner went quickly as light hearted conversation bounced around the table and Max even made a joke causing Beth to splutter into her food as she giggled.  
When the meal was cleared away, Maggie and Glenn disappeared and her father went to chat with Rick once again.  
Max made to leave as well, Beth wondered where he was going and decided to ask him.  
“So what are you doing now?” she asked, hoping she didn’t sound too interested.  
“Not sure, still early, might hang out under the stars” he replied.  
“Really?” she asked, the idea sounding somewhat romantic in her mind.  
“Yeah you know, relax ,take the night in” he answered.  
“Can I join you?” she asked, trying to keep her hopefulness out of her voice.  
Beth expected him to say no, maybe he wanted to be alone, she saw his eyes flicker across the room then returned to her.  
“Sure, know your constellations?” he asked.  
Beth shook her head and wrinkled her noise at the question, she had learnt simple astronomy at school but had hated science class, preferring music and art classes.  
“Well let’s teach you them” he suggested.  
Beth smiled at him, they stood up and walked out into the cool night air. It was a cloudless sky, perfect night to see the stars.  
They headed to the suv and Beth was a little confused as he began to climb on the hood, but caught on as he lay back on the wind shield and she quickly climbed up as well.  
She lay next to him, careful to keep a nice but reluctant gap, wishing she could just tuck her self into him.  
As they stared up at the night sky, he began pointing out some constellations and how they got their names, Beth listened intently and inched her body closer, hoping he wouldn’t notice too much.  
“How do you know all this” she asked.  
“Well when I was recruited into the SAS, needed to learn them as a requirement” he replied.  
“Why?”  
“I had to learn how to navigate with out maps and GPS and the like” he answered.  
“Oh ok”  
They sat in silence together, the quiet night air only pierced but the groans of walkers on the fences. The silence was comfortable but Beth’s mind was racing, she wanted to know more about him but she couldn’t just ask him could she?, he had already revealed a deep secret today, it would be selfish to ask more from him.  
He seemed to sense what she was thinking and turned to her with a inquiring look on his face.  
“You ok Beth?” he asked  
“Oh um yeah all good” she lied.  
“Beth?” he pressed, obviously not believing her.  
“I was just thinking about what you said early today” she replied.  
“Yeah I hope I didn’t freak you out to much” he said, sounding worried.  
“No its ok, you didn’t”  
“Yeah?” he asked.  
Beth took a deep breath if she wanted to get know him better she also needed to open her self up to him as well, if he was able to tell her a secret then she should tell him one of her own.  
“What you did wasn’t that bad, I um did something worse when my mother and brother died” she said softly.  
Beth looked up at her to see him looking at her interest, urging her to continue. She took another breath and dove into her story.  
“It was back at the farm just after the outbreak, my mother and brother had become infected and daddy locked them up with others in the barn” she said and Max raised his eyebrow at this.  
“Daddy thought the virus could be cured” she explained.  
Beth really had believed her father, even though she had been scared to death and hid in the house when he and Otis wrangled a walker into the barn, she had faith her family could be saved. She didn’t blame her father for being so misguided, he had no idea what the walkers really were.  
“Rick and his group arrived on the farm some time later and daddy let them stay, provided they didn’t cause any trouble but they soon learnt of the walkers in the barn and let them out to kill them, including my mother and brother” she continued on.  
Max still hadn’t said a word but was still listening, letting her tell her tale without interruption.  
“I saw my mother lying in the dirt, I went to her but she attacked, nearly killing me, afterwards I was a ghost and I later collapsed and went into into a kinda state, I was unresponsive and when I came out if it all I was deeply depressed, I didn’t want to live any more, Lori tried to help me but I didn’t want it and I tried to kill my self”  
Beth let those words hang in the air. He didn’t say anything, she looked into his eyes maybe expecting to see pity but only understanding radiating from them.  
“I so wanted to do it, I locked myself in the bathroom, smashed a mirror and cut my wrist”  
Beth pulled back her bracelets and showed him the scar on her wrist, he reached out and ran his thumb across it, sending shivers down her spine.  
“As soon as I did it, I regretted it instantly, the pain and the blood dripping down my arm made me want to live, I wanted to survive” she said, reluctantly taking her wrist from his grasp.  
Beth fell silent and tears stung in her eyes. She took a deep breath and braced herself for whatever Max was going to say, would he think she was weak?, and how would it affect her training and the way he saw her?.  
“That must have been painful for you Beth and must be tough to talk about” he said quietly.  
“Yeah it is” she asked softly, her voice now trembling.  
He surprised her as he reached out to wipe a tear running down her cheek and she closed her eyes briefly at the touch, her breath catching in her chest. She opened them to see Max looking at her with concern and she gave him an embarrassed smile.  
“I guess we both have painful pasts” she said.  
“Yeah I guess we do” he added, giving her a warm smile.  
Beth wiped away her remaining tears and let out a nervous giggle. She felt off balance, her story had exhausted her but Max touching her face filled her with a fuzzy feeling.  
She wished she could stay there all night but that wasn’t possible, besides she would need her sleep for the next day’s training. She sat up, cleared her throat nervously and fiddled with her necklace.  
“Well I should probably go before Maggie sends out a search party” she announced giving Max another little smile.  
“Yeah we should avoid that” he agreed.  
She slid off the hood onto the ground and turned back to look at him, tugging at her shirt.  
“I um enjoyed tonight Max, I enjoyed everything about today in fact” she said.  
“I did too Beth” he replied.  
“So see you tomorrow?” she asked, knowing the answer all ready.  
“Bright and early” he promised.  
She bit her lip and hoped he couldn’t see her blushing and turned away just in case and made her way into the cell block unable to shake the happily feeling rushing through her and wondered what the next day would hold.


	45. Chapter 45

Max wandered into the mess, he headed over to the water tank first and filled some water bottles and placed them in a pack before making some breakfast. He poured some cereal in two bowls, mixed some powered milk with some water in a jug and waited for Beth to arrive.  
The night before had been something else, his offer to teach her the northern star constellations had ended with a surprising reveal from Beth.  
Max had listened attentively as Beth told her story and when she had finished, with tears in her eyes he had just wanted to hold her but he settled on wiping a tear from her cheek, an act he probably should have refrained from.  
She had tried to kill her self, the revelation echoed through his head. Beth hadn’t struck him as the suicidal type, giving no indication to the contrary. He didn’t think he needed to worry though, gathering it had been a one time attempt only.  
“Hello Max” said Mika as she and Lizzie walked over, snapping him from his thoughts.  
“Morning girls, how are we today?” he asked.  
“We’re good, how bout you?” Lizzie answered.  
“Yeah not bad” Max replied.  
“So are you going to be training Beth again today?” Mika asked with great interest.  
“That’s the plan” Max replied.  
The two girls looked at each and they both let out a girlish giggle and Max felt his face heat up. He was about to ask them what was so funny, even though he was pretty sure he new exactly what they were giggling about when their father called them over to eat their breakfast.  
“Ok coming daddy, bye Max” said Mika and the sisters joined him at his table, letting Max return to his thoughts.  
“Morning” said a shy voice and Max turned to see Beth had snuck up on him.  
Beth looked beautiful as usual despite her almost healed lip and eye, was dressed in her shorts from yesterday and her hair pulled into her signature side pony tale. She seemed nervous and he saw her brush her bracelets quickly.  
“Morning, good sleep?” he asked.  
Beth nodded and smiled happily, taking the seat next to him and he slid one of the bowls to her. She took it and Max poured in some milk.  
“So more workouts first?” she asked as dipped her spoon in her cereal.  
“Yep a then we’ll begin a little self defence lessons” he replied.  
“Ok sounds good”  
They finished off their breakfast and made their way outside to begin the day. As they walked past the Samuels table, the girls whispered to each other and giggled softly while their father gave them a confused look, as did Beth.  
“What was that about?” she asked.  
Max was about to answer when he realised she was talking to her self and held his tongue but gave her a smile.  
“What?” she asked.  
“Nothin” he lied.  
Beth gave him a look like she didn’t believe him but thankfully didn’t push the matter, which suited him just fine, not wanting to explain why the two girls found the two of them training so funny.  
They headed into the front field and stretched before beginning their run, while the walkers against the outer fence looked on like spectators.  
As they ran, Max was impressed as she kept pace with him, even when he increased his speed.  
The girl could run, there was no doubt about that, she had the physique for it, her petite body and long toned legs were a definite bonus.  
They did a few laps before stopping to rest, both of them collapsing onto the soft grass and Max handed her a water bottle from the pack where they had left it.  
He drank down his own water and was about suggest they begin a second workout when a whistle rang out. They turned to see Michonne riding up to the gate on her horse, Max and Beth were the closest to the gate and hurried over to open it.  
“Hey guys” she said as she rode through and dismounted.  
“Hey Michonne” Beth replied.  
“Hows every-” Michonne began but trailed off as she lay eyes on Beth.  
Max saw Beth tense up and she looked down at the ground and Max scowled, no matter how much distractions it took, Zach would always come back to haunt them.  
“What happened?” Michonne asked, concerned.  
“Yeah it’s a long story Michonne, you might want to ask Hershel about it” Max replied curtly.  
“No it’s ok Max, um a couple of nights ago Zach attacked me and almost raped me” Beth explained heavily and Michonne’s jaw dropped as she looked at both of them in shock.  
“He did what?” she asked.  
Max looked at Beth, she nodded and he quickly recounted the events of that night as an angry expression formed on Michonne’s face.  
“Where is he now?” she asked.  
“Not sure exactly, haven’t cared to ask” Max replied.  
It was the truth, after the council’s decision he had put Zach out of his mind, not caring where he was as long as he was far away from Beth.  
“Well I’m sorry that happened to you Beth”  
“Its all right I’m ok now, any luck with finding the governor?” Beth replied, changing the subject.  
Max’s interest perked up, he had heard the governor mentioned several times since he had arrived at the prison and what he had gathered he was a dangerous enemy, though defeated he could still posed a threat.  
“No I didn’t” Michonne answered disappointedly.  
Michonne let the horse wander off to graze and she excused herself, walking off up to the prison leaving Max and Beth alone again.  
“I hope he never comes back” Beth said softly, looking out through the fence as if the man was out there looking back.  
“It sounds like he is gone Beth, he won’t be coming back ” Max reassured her.  
“He might Max, you don’t know what it was like, he had a whole town of people and wanted to wipe us out, he killed Daryl’s brother, Andrea and others, he was crazy Max” she said.  
Beth sounded generally afraid of the man and the stories he had heard, the group had gone through a rough time, rescuing Maggie and Glenn and fending off his multiple attacks, Max couldn’t really blame her.  
“Well if he does we’ll be ready for him” he promised.  
Beth seemed to be happy with his answer and she smiled at him.  
“I hope so, so another workout?” she asked.  
Max considered it but in light of the governor maybe it was time to jump ahead in her training.  
“No more workouts for today I think we should start on a little self defence”  
“Really?, gonna teach me how to fight?” she asked teasingly and her eyes lit up.  
“Sure am but I’m only going to teach how to defend yourself ok ” he replied and Beth nodded, understanding but the sparkle in her eyes didn’t dim nor did the smile.  
They walked back over to where they had left his pack and their water bottles. Max decided it was a good a place as anywhere and decided to begin.  
“Ok Beth I want you to punch me” he asked.  
“What?” Beth asked with a shocked expression.  
“You heard me” he replied.  
He took her hands and showed her the proper way to make a fist and held them up into front off her, boxer style.  
“Ok lets see what you got, aim for my hands” he said, holding his palms up.  
Beth looked unsure but she drew back one of her arms and lightly punched his palm, it was a weak punch but he didn’t expect her to be heavyweight boxer or even a lightweight.  
“All right good start but I’m going to need you punch harder Beth, use your shoulders that’s where the power come from” he said.  
“I don’t want to hurt you” she said, sounding embarrassed.  
Max almost chucked but held it back, knowing it wouldn’t help the situation instead he gave her calm look and held out his palms again.  
“You’re not going to hurt me Beth, I need to know how hard you can punch” he explained.  
Beth nodded and swung another punch, smacking into his hand. The punch was harder than the first but Max believed she had more in her.  
“Harder Beth, harder, you are still holding back, I need you to punch” he ordered, with an edge to his voice.  
He heard Beth huff in frustration and she punched his hand again but it was the same strength as before. Beth wasn’t giving it her all and Max needed to push her, get her angry to get her adrenaline pumping.  
“Come Beth you can do better than that, show me you can punch Beth, punch!” Max yelled angrily.  
She looked shocked at first and recoiled slightly but then began punching, with both hands over and over, slamming her fists into his palms with surprising strength. It didn’t take long for her to tire out and let out a yell as she threw her last punch. She wobbled slightly and Max quickly caught her as she stumbled.  
“Easy now it’s ok, that was perfect Beth well done” he soothed.  
She gave him a weak smile and looked up at him as he held her, she was breathing rapidly and he knew it was time for a break. He let her go but she didn’t step away, instead took one of his hands in hers.  
“I didn’t hurt you did I?” she asked worriedly and ran her hand over one of his palms, sending a jolt through his body.  
“No I’ll be fine Beth” he replied.  
“Ok good” she said, sounding relived.  
“Sorry I yelled at you” he said, hoping he hadn’t scared her anything.  
“No don’t apologise I needed to be pushed, you are trying to train me” she replied.  
Max nodded and they both sat down in the grass, and gulped greedily from their water bottles.  
“Did you want to call it a day?” he asked and she shook her head.  
“No, I’m ready to learn more” she said.  
“You sure?” he asked.  
Determination shone in her eyes and Max smiled at her energy as she stood up, ready to begin.  
“Well all right then” he said, joining her.  
“Ok so being able to punch is all well and good, but when and if the day comes you are not going to be in a fair fight, whoever it may be is going to want to do you harm” he explained, Beth nodded, taking in everything he was saying and Max continued on.  
“Unfortunately Beth, everyone you go up against is going to be bigger and stronger than you, so have to be faster and smarter”  
“Ok so how do I that?” she asked.  
“If you can’t get away or if they grab you, you’re going to have to fight dirty Beth, use your size to your advantage, all they’ll see is a young helpless girl and you’re going to use that, don’t hold back, your life could and will depend on it, scratch, bite, punch and kick, go for their weak points, their eyes, throat, knees and of course the groin”  
Beth blushed as he said this and looked down embarrassed.  
“Don’t be shy Beth, if a man has you, kick him in the balls, I’ve seen grown men turn into whimpering babies after being punched or kicked in the groin” he said.  
Beth still looked unsure, it was a lot to take in and Max didn’t blame her if she was still apprehensive about it all.  
“Look I know it sounds daunting, but it may never happen, this training is only so you will ready if it does and only if you find your self in trouble that you can’t run from” he cautioned.  
“So don’t go don’t go looking for fights?” she asked.  
“Exactly, ok lets start” he replied.  
Before she could respond, Max moved quickly, grabbing her round the waist, twisting her and pulling her into his chest. Beth was shocked at first and struggled in his arms but was unable to free herself from his grasp.  
“Ok, Beth what are you going to do now?” he asked as she craned her neck backwards to look at him.  
“Remember what I said Beth, think, how are you going to get away?” he asked.  
Beth stopped struggling and went slack and Max waited for her to get out of his grip. Then she surprised him and she quickly slammed her foot down on his foot. Pain shot through his foot and he let go of her slightly, she then elbowed him in the stomach and pulled herself completely from his arms and stepped a safe distance from him.  
“Wow Beth where did that come from?” Max asked, rubbing his stomach.  
He hadn’t expected it from her at all at least not for a for more lessons and was actually quite impressed with her technique.  
“I don’t know I just thought about the governor coming back and the night Zach attacked me and just acted” she replied sounding surprised with herself.  
“Well whatever it was use it, you actually caught me off guard there which is good, really good” he said.  
“Really?” she asked, tilting her head  
“Yeah and putting some distance as soon as you got away was smart” he replied and Beth absolutely beamed under the praise, blushing slightly.  
“Well you told me I needed to be fast and smart” she said.  
“Yeah I did didn’t I”  
“Are you ok though I tried not hit you so hard” she asked, worry in her voice again.  
“Well I don’t know I think I might have a bit of a limp now and might throw up” he replied sombrely  
He made over exaggerated groaning noises and pretended every step he made caused him pain as he held his stomach.  
“Oh haha very funny” she laughed, not deceived at all.  
She pushed him playfully and Max groaned in pain again, doubling over and fell to his knees and held up his hands in mock surrender.  
“No more I give up” he said laughing.  
“Well good” she said, unable to hold back her own laughter.  
She held out her hand but instead out letting her help him up, he pulled her down to him, she let out a squeal and fell on top of him.  
The laughter stopped instantly as their faces were now inches apart. Max’s mind went blank as he stared up into her eyes and was more than aware of her body pressed up against his and that his hand was on her hip, touching her warm skin. Her lips were trembling and a strand of her hair was tickling his cheek. He wanted to kiss her, to know what her lips tasting like but he needed to get her off her before she felt the stirring that was building up below.  
Suddenly a horse neigh shattered the moment and they both looked over startled. Beth jumped off him and stood up quickly, her face burned red and didn’t speak.  
Max wasn’t sure what to say as well, not sure what would have happened if they hadn’t been interrupted, Beth had made no attempt to get off him and he certainly didn’t either.  
They both stared at each other not speaking, the horse neighed again and Beth let out a little giggle, Max relaxed and laughed as well.  
“So um lunch time?” she asked, now acting like nothing had happened.  
“Yeah sounds good” Max replied, going along with it.  
They began walking up to the prison, several people were milling about the courtyard and a worried thought shot through him, had anyone seen what had happened?, but here were no suspicious looks, no one confronted them and he relaxed again. Max began to wonder what was going through Beth’s mind, he noticed she was sneaking glances at him and giving him little nervous smiles before looking away. Max knew he would have to address what had happened, but all he could think of was the feeling of her on top of him and the maddening desire to kiss her and knew the up coming lessons were going to be very interesting…


	46. Chapter 46

Beth’s mind was spinning as it tried to process what had happened in the field. The whole morning had been perfect, she had thought after revealing her suicide attempt to him, there might have be some weirdness between them but he had greeted her with a warm smile and had begun her training.  
Beth had never really thrown a punch, her attack was evidence enough and had been a little apprehensive when Max began to teach her how and had surprised herself when he had forced them out of her. Beth had surprised her self more when he schooled her on the best ways to defend herself, and had admit it felt good to have Max’s arm around her, feeling the muscles in his chest pressed up against her back.  
The joking around and falling on top of him was what took her breath away, staring into his sharp green eyes, Beth swore the two of them would have kissed but she couldn’t be certain, chalking it up to her heightened state and imagination.  
As they walked to mess she kept glancing at him to judge his mood, trying to guess what he was thinking. They walked into the cooler air of the mess and Beth was so caught up in her thoughts she barely noticed where she was going and bumped into Daryl, she apologised and she caught a brief scowl that quickly disappeared when he saw Max with her and he nodded at them.  
“Beth, Max come sit down” called her father.  
She sat down and was a little off put when Max took the seat opposite her but quickly brushed it off. Maggie and Glenn joined them as the lunch crew came round and served up the food they had prepared and Beth smiled her thanks at them as she was handed a bowl of stew.  
“So did you two have fun out there today?” her father asked when everyone at the table had been served.  
Beth almost choked on her mouthful of food and and looked down at her bowl then glanced up to see Max and her father looking at her. Her father had a curious look, while Max gave her a reassuring smile.  
“Yeah it was a good lesson, Beth’s a quick learner” Max stated nonchalantly.  
“Well Beth’s always has been able to pick up new skills pretty fast” her father said proudly.  
“Hmm you’re telling me, she kinda kicked me arse out there” Max replied.  
“Really?” Maggie asked, fixing Beth with a teasing grin and Beth blushed.  
“It just sorta came out” Beth replied humbly.  
“Well if she keeps it up, she’ll be all trained up in no time” Max said.  
That thought froze her, would their lessons reach a point we she no longer needed them?, what would happen then?. Beth pushed the troubling though aside, it was to soon to think about that.  
The continued eating, she kept sneaking her glances at Max until her father noticed and she stopped, intently focusing on her food instead.  
“So where did you go last night Beth, after dinner?, I came to your room and you weren’t there” her father then asked her, with curiosity in his voice.  
Beth looked up startled and quickly darted her eyes at Max for some sort of guidance, but he didn’t respond.  
“Oh um Max was teaching me some star constellations” she replied as casually as she could.  
It was the truth, except they were out under the stars, alone and incredible close together, not something her father would want to hear.  
“Star constellations?” Glenn asked, confused.  
“Yeah um Max thought it would be a good idea, you know in case I got lost I could navigate by the stars” Beth answered quickly.  
Again, it wasn’t exactly a lie but the night hadn’t set out that way and it certainly didn’t end that way either.  
Her father raised an eyebrow at Max, who looked slightly uncomfortable and Beth held her breath waiting for what her father would say but he smiled and Beth exhaled, relived.  
“You know your stars son?” he asked, sounding impressed.  
“Yeah had to learn them” Max replied.  
“That’s pretty cool, I think I only know the north star but I can’t be sure, do you know them all?” asked Glenn.  
“Most of them” Max replied.  
“Hmm still cool though, so Max do you think there is life out there, you know on other planets?” he asked.  
“Oh no Glenn not this again” grumbled Maggie and Beth giggled.  
“What?, it’s a valid theory” Glenn protested.  
“Glenn is firm believer that there are aliens out there in the universe” Maggie explained to Max.  
“Actually I’ve always thought that myself, there must be right? I’ve always believed aliens exist since I was a kid especially after seeing Star Wars” he said and Glenn grinned at him as did Beth.  
“You like Star Wars?” she asked him teasingly.  
“Well of course I do, Star Wars is one of my favourite movies and I am a fan of all things sci fi” he replied.  
“No way, what other movies do you like?” Glenn asked excitedly.  
“Oh here we go, shall we leave the boys to talk about aliens and spaceships?” Maggie asked Beth.  
Beth knew Maggie was only joking but Beth wasn’t going to leave the table even if she wasn’t, she was learning something new about Max everyday.  
“So not a fan of sci fi I take it” Max asked.  
“Hmm not me I liked my rom coms and dramas, while Beth here loved her Disney movies” Maggie answered, giving her a teasing smile.  
Beth felt her face heat up and nudged Maggie in the side and threw her a dirty look. Just another thing to make her look younger in Max’s eyes Beth thought angrily.  
“Now, now Maggie don’t tease your sister, I remember a certain girl who loved those movies as well” said their father  
“Thank you daddy” said Beth and poked her tongue out at Maggie  
“Well you still love them” Maggie shot back, poking her own tongue out.  
Beth had loved watching Disney movies, growing up on the farm between chores and school there wasn’t a lot of time to sit down and watch movies but on the days she was sick, her mother would let her watch them all day.  
“So what’s was your favourite?” Max asked sounding generally interested.  
“Oh um, The little Mermaid, I must have watched that like a hundred times” she answered.  
“Under the sea huh?” he said, putting on a terrible Jamaican accent, imitating Sebastian the crab and everyone laughed.  
“You know The Little Mermaid?” Beth asked with disbelief.  
“Sure, I know my Disney movies, Lion King, Aladdin and The jungle book, all great films” he replied.  
“So what’s your favourite then?” she asked.  
“Ahh the Toy Story series probably or maybe The lion King” he answered.  
Beth almost laughed again, she never would have guessed this side of him, especially after he had told her his painful painful but she couldn’t help but find this new knowledge delighting.  
“Aww that’s so sweet Max, I can’t really picture you watching any Disney movies” Maggie laughed, voicing what Beth was thinking.  
“Well I was a kid once, and I liked to watch movies in my down time on whatever base I was stationed at” he replied.  
“Hmm well give me an old western any day” said her father and everyone laughed again.  
The group finished off their lunch and their dishes and cutlery were cleared away as Sasha stopped to talk.  
“Hi Sasha” Beth said as she handed her a stack of bowls.  
“Hey Beth, good training today?” Sasha asked with a smile and Beth nodded.  
“Well good to hear, listen Beth is it all right if I put you back on the cooking roster, starting tonight?” Sasha asked.  
Beth looked over to Max who was now deep in conversation with Glenn, talking about other movies and then turned back to Sasha.  
“No worries Sasha” she replied cheerfully.  
“Excellent thanks Beth, you’ll be with Patrick and Karen” said Sasha  
Sasha left to attend to her duties and Hershel stood up to join her. Maggie and Glenn also excused themselves and before Beth could ask Max if they were going to continue their training, Carol passed with the kids in tow, on their way to their own lessons.  
“Hi Beth, Hi Max” she said Mika happily, giving them a wave.  
“Hello Mika” Beth said back.  
“Come along now Mika” Carol asked, pausing.  
“Ok coming Carol”  
They were alone again and Beth looked at Max nervously, who gave her a look she couldn’t read and didn’t know what it meant.  
“So um are we going to continue training today?” she asked quietly.  
“If you still want to” he replied.  
Beth nodded and they walked back out side and down into the field. They stood apart from each other for a moment before he stepped in and wrapped his arm around her chest, pulling her into him.  
“Ok just like before, try and get out of my grip” he asked.  
She wanted to do what he asked but she couldn’t concentrate, feeling his body pressed up against her again sent flutters though her stomach and sent her pulse running wild.  
“Beth?” he asked.  
He slackened his arm when she didn’t answer and let it fall, brushing his hand across her stomach before stepping away  
“Do you want to stop?” he asked.  
Beth bit her lip and nodded, she felt like she couldn’t breath and her entire body was tingling. They stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. Beth didn’t want their training to stop but it was only going to get harder to hide her feelings for him.  
“Beth?” he questioned.  
“I um better go um Judith probably needs looking after” Beth lied, coming up with any plausible excuse.  
“Ok Beth I’ll catch you later” he said softly and Beth could hear the hurt and disappointment in his voice.  
Beth fled from the field as fast as she could, not daring to look back. She wondered what she was going to do about her predicament, she couldn’t avoid Max but she couldn’t be around him, wanting him so much.  
She walked into the mess in a daze and saw Karen organising food for dinner, she looked over and smiled but it dropped as she saw Beth’s expression.  
“Beth what’s wrong? she asked, concerned.  
Beth didn’t answer, she liked Karen but she didn’t think she was the person to help her. Karen walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.  
“Beth you’re trembling, did something happen?, do you want me to find your father or Maggie?” Karen asked, now slightly alarmed.  
“No no please don’t, it’s nothing bad, really” Beth said quickly, Karen relaxed slightly but still looked concerned.  
“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked kindly.  
Beth decided it might be good to get it off her chest, she couldn’t talk to Maggie or her father, so Karen would be the next best thing and nodded.  
“Ok good, sit down, I‘ll make us some tea” Karen said  
Beth sat down and Karen quickly made them some tea. Beth took the hot cup gratefully and Karen sat down next to her  
“Now tell what’s bothering you” she asked.  
Beth sipped the tea, letting it calm her and began to tell Karen everything.  
“I um have feelings for Max, I don’t know what to do about them, I know I’m too young for him but I can’t help how I feel about him” she explained.  
“Well I’m not surprised at all Beth, you two have been spending a lot of time together and he is very handsome” said Karen with a smile and Beth blushed.  
“Its not that he’s handsome, it’s more than that, I feel so safe around him, think about him all the time and he makes me feel good, like really good and there was a moment this morning where we almost kissed” she said and blushed as Karen’s smile widened  
“Almost kissed?” she asked.  
“Yeah I think so” Beth replied.  
“You should tell him how you feel Beth” Karen suggested and Beth shook her head  
“I can’t do that Karen ” she said.  
“Why not?” Karen asked.  
“What if doesn’t feel the same way, and if he does then what?, its not like we can have any sort of relationship” Beth asked worriedly.  
“Well you won’t know until you talk to him Beth” Karen replied.  
“Ok I’ll think about” Beth promised.  
Beth was glad she had decided to talk to Karen. A little weight had been lifted off her but she still wasn’t convinced that it was the right idea to talk to Max.  
“Ok enough girl talk for now, how bout we get started on dinner?” Karen said, getting up.  
Beth nodded at her and they began preparing the food Karen had begun to organise. Patrick soon arrived to help and the trio threw themselves into the cooking.  
As they finished cooking, people began drifting into the mess, drawn by the smell of food and Karen and Beth quickly distributed plates and cutlery around. Beth froze as Max walked in and Karen touched her arm.  
“Be strong Beth, go talk to him” she said.  
Max took a seat with Bob, Ty and Sasha. Beth walked over to the table and handed them plates. She almost lost it as she and Max locked eyes and she took a deep breath.  
“Um Max can we talk after dinner?” she asked, hoping the others at the table wouldn’t be too interested.  
“Of course Beth” he said quickly, their was no anger in his voice and Beth smiled.  
Beth ate her dinner with her father, Maggie and Glenn. She kept quiet throughout and was grateful her family didn’t ask her anything, while she snuck glances at Max.  
Once dinner was finished and the wash crew had began clearing everything away she noticed Max get up from his table and walked outside.  
Beth quickly excused herself and followed him out, finding him waiting for her by the Bushmaster.  
“You wanted to talk?” he said as she reached him.  
“Yeah um I wanted to say I’m sorry about this afternoon” she replied.  
“Beth you don’t need to apologise” he said.  
“Max I um..” she began, struggling to find words.  
“Beth what is it?, you can tell me anything you know that” he said stepping closer to her.  
“Even if it could jeopardise our friendship?” she asked worriedly.  
“Beth nothing you could say would end our friendship” he promised.  
“Ok, I like you Max, I um have feelings for you” she said quickly, the words coming out all at once.  
Beth held her breath and waited for response, she didn’t know what to expect, was he going be angry?, would he laughed it off?, but he didn’t do any of those and Beth swore his face heated up instead.  
“I know” he replied finally, rubbing the back of his neck.  
“You know?” Beth asked surprised.  
“I’ve known for a while now” he said, like it was common knowledge and Beth just stared at him  
“Oh” she said softly.  
“I kinda figured it out, the conversation about Julie, that dress and other factors” he replied.  
“You probably think I’m just a girl with a stupid crush don’t you” Beth said embarrassed.  
“No Beth not at all” he said softly  
“Really?, so you’re still going to train me, it won’t be awkward now?” she asked  
“Of course not”  
Beth didn’t believe him how could it not be, they were going to spending time together with both of them knowing she had feelings for him, he might be able to handle it but she wouldn’t be able to and there was the matter of what happened in the morning. Beth had to know, she had to know if there was the slightest chance he might want her too.  
“Max this morning would have happened if we weren’t interrupted?” she asked.  
Max averted his eyes and rubbed the back of his neck, and coughed.  
“Nothing Beth” he answered, but Beth didn’t believe him and stepped closer to him.  
“Max I was there, you were going to kiss me” she stated.  
Beth was inches from him now and stared up at him, he looked down at her with a pained look on his face.  
“Beth I..” he said  
It was Max’s turn to struggle for words and her heart began to beat faster as she hoped his answer was what she wanted to hear.  
“Were you going to kiss me Max?” she pressed.  
He didn’t answer, looking spooked and averting his eyes again.  
“Yeah” he answered finally, barely above a whisper and Beth’s heart almost stopped.  
“Do you have feelings for me as well?” she asked.  
Once again the stared at each other and he nodded and Beth felt like singing as a flutters pulsed through her stomach .  
“Yeah I do, I tried to hold them back I really did, but today got the better of me” he said.  
“So what do we do now?” Beth asked.  
“I don’t know Beth I hadn’t planned for this to happen” he replied.  
Beth was about to say more when she heard Maggie calling Beth’s name. She turned to see Maggie standing on the steps to the mess, looking out.  
“Beth you out here?” she called before spotting them.  
“Yes Maggie” Beth yelled back.  
“Oh good, daddy is looking for you” Maggie shouted.  
“Ok Maggie I’m coming” Beth called back, a little exasperated.  
Beth looked up at Max, gave him a shy smile and twisted her foot nervously.  
“So I better go” she said.  
“Yeah I guess you better” he replied, but his tone and voice suggesting he wanted her to stay.  
This was her moment and if she didn’t take it, it would gone. She looked around to see if Maggie or anyone was watching but there was no one, she stepped into him, lifted herself on her toes, placed her hands on his chest to steady herself and kissed him quickly before dropping back to the ground.  
“See you soon Max” she said  
Before he could say anything she walked off but she did stop to look back and she giggled as she saw him looking a little shocked, but in a good way and continued walking. Beth’s heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest and her entire body was trembling again. Her mind raced as scenarios played out through her head of what her and Max’s next meeting would be like and couldn’t wait for that encounter…


	47. Chapter 47

Max had been in a daze after Beth had kissed him, it had been quick but very memorable and thrown him off guard. He had walked the fence for a while to clear his head, planing what his next move would be and then retired early without seeing Beth.  
Despite getting to bed early, the kiss had kept him up and he woke tired and off balance. He still wasn’t sure what he was going to do about Beth, they both knew they wanted each other but what did Beth really want?, was she looking for a relationship of sorts?. If that was true was it something that could work in the long run?. He was more than certain the rest of the group wouldn’t accept it at all and if he wasn’t careful he might end up looking down the wrong end of a barrel.  
Max yawned, dressed and wandered into the mess, he saw Hershel eating breakfast and immediately considered just walking back out but he noticed Max and waved him over.   
“Good morning Max” said Hershel warmly.  
“Morning” Max managed.  
“You all right there Max?, something on your mind?” he asked.  
If only he knew the truth, yeah your seventeen daughter kissed me last night because she has feelings for me, oh and by the way I have feelings for her as well, not to mention the less than honourable thoughts I have about her, yeah that would go down great thought Max.  
“Nah not really, I’m all good” Max lied.  
Hershel nodded and Max proceeded to make his own breakfast. He was returning back to the table when Beth walked in.  
“Morning” she said cheerfully, grabbing some cereal and joining Max and Hershel at the table.  
“Well good morning Bethie” said Hershel.  
She smiled at him and then looked to Max, her smile widened and her eyes sparkled.  
“Morning Max” she said teasingly.  
“Morning Beth” he answered back, keeping his voice neutral.  
“So more training today?” Hershel asked.  
“I don’t know?, are we training today?” Beth asked.   
Her eyes locked on his and her mouth teased up into a smile again. Hershel also looked at him, awaiting his answer.  
“Ahh yeah of course” he replied quickly.  
“Well good, now if you two will excuse me I have a council meeting to attend ” Hershel said stood up and left Max and Beth alone.   
“So I suppose we should discuss what happened last night?” Beth suggested quietly as soon as her father left the room.  
Max looked around, there was a few people in the mess, eating breakfast and talking. No one was looking in their direction but Max couldn’t risk anyone hearing their conversation.  
“Not here Beth” he replied.  
Beth nodded, understanding and they finished off their food in silence.  
After they had washed up their plates, the two of them walked out into the warm morning sun and Max walked them to where they could not be over heard.  
“You’re not mad that I kissed you are you?” she asked worriedly, looking up at him, trying to guess what he was thinking.  
“No Beth, I was just a little surprised” he replied.  
“Good surprised?” she asked.  
“Yeah, good surprised” he answered.  
Her worried expression faded and a nervous little smile appeared on her face.  
“So what do we do now?” she asked.  
It was a loaded question and needed to choose his answer carefully, what ever happened next would change their friendship forever.   
“What do you want to happen Beth?” he asked.  
“I don’t know Max, I just know how I feel about you” she replied softly.  
She stepped closer to him and took his hand in hers. Her touch was soft and gentle as she brushed her fingers across the back of his hand, she looked up at him and Max knew in that moment he wanted everything she wanted.   
“Beth, if we do this, we take it slow and keep it quiet understand?” he said, Beth’s smiled widened and she nodded happily.  
“Ok” she agreed  
She let go of his hand and they both stared at each other for what felt like forever and then she let out a giggle and Max laughed as well.  
“Well we better start some training, we can’t stand here all day” he suggested.  
“I guess not” she replied.  
They began with a run but it didn’t last long, both of them obviously weren’t able to focus and Max decided to call it. He also decided to skip the self defence training as well, he didn’t think he would be able to control himself if he put his hands on her.  
Max suggested they get some water, Beth agreed and they made made their way back up to the prison.   
As they walked, Beth walked close to him and causally brushed her hand against his and Max wanted nothing better than to slip his hand into hers.   
Max and Beth walked towards the mess but as they stopped dead as they saw someone coming out of the door.  
It was Zach in crutches, being helped by Dr S. down the stairs with his broken leg was in a splint.  
“What the fuck?” Max yelled and Zach and the doctor looked up in fright.  
“Wait Max, just calm down” the doctor pleaded calmly.  
“Don’t tell me to calm down fuckwit, get him out of here now” Max ordered and stepped towards them.  
“Look I’m sorry, I didn’t think Beth would be here, I assumed you and her would be still training down in the field, he just wanted some sun.” he explained as he put him self between Max and Zach.  
“I don’t give a fuck what you assumed, you get him out of here and lock him back up in whatever hole he was rotting in” Max growled.  
Max turned to Beth, she was standing frozen, her face was pale and was staring at Zach. The tension was palpable and time almost stood still. There was no else close enough and the good doctor had no chance of stopping Max if he just snapped Zach’s neck. Max sensed Beth move and he turned to see her flee towards the cell block. He started after her but stopped and turned back to Dr S. and Zach.  
“If I see him again I’ll break his other leg and make you watch, understand?” he barked.  
He didn’t wait for an answer and went after Beth, seeing her disappear through the mess and into the cells block and quickly followed her. He found her standing in her cell, she was shaking and glanced at him as he stood in her doorway.   
“Sorry I ran away” she whispered.  
“Beth you don’t need apologise” he said.  
“I thought I was getting stronger, but I saw him and all I could do was run” she said sadly.  
She looked so broken, just like before and Max just wanted to hold her but it was far to risky. He needed to do something before she began to doubt herself again and everything they had done over the last few days was for nothing.   
“Come on” he said, indicating she follow.  
“We are we going?” she asked.  
He didn’t answer and kept walking, finally stopping outside the door to the library.  
“What are we doing here Max?” she asked, confusion and worry in her voice.  
“You are strong Beth, we both know it and I’m not going to let that arsehole make you think anything less” he answered and opened the door.  
She looked apprehensive but stepped inside with him into the empty room.   
“Its strange being in here again, I thought I would never set foot in here again” she said softly.  
He noticed her eyes travel to the bookshelf that Zach had her against and her face clouded over. Max slipped his hand into hers and squeezed it gently.  
“You’re not going to be afraid of this room, or Zach or anyone else any more, ok” he said and she nodded.  
He went to let her hand go but she didn’t let go of his and looked up at him, her eyes shimmering.  
“You make me feel so safe Max” she whispered.  
“I’m here for you Beth, always” he said.  
Max cupped her face, brushing his thumb across her cheek and she ran a hand over his chest.  
“Kiss me Max” she whispered.   
He didn’t need to be asked twice, he lifted her chin with his finger, leant into her and placed his lips on hers.   
The kiss was soft at first but Beth moaned, pressing her self against him and then it was like a dam had burst. Max kissed her more forcibly, she grabbed a fist full of his shirt and kissed him back just as hard.  
“Oh Max” she whispered.  
Acting on primal instinct, he picked her up and sat her down on the table next to them. Their kissing intensified and he moved from her lips to her neck. Beth let out a low moan and ran her fingers through his hair.   
Max felt him self harden as pressed himself into her crotch and he began to move his hand up her shirt but she grabbed it.   
“Max, w-we have to stop” she whispered, her voice out of breath.  
Max stopped instantly and pulled away from her, she wasn’t scared or uncomfortable, just looked flustered and Max kicked himself for letting it get out of hand.   
“Sorry I got a little carried away” he said bashfully.  
“No its ok Max, I liked it a lot, it’s just not the best place to do it” she giggled.   
She adjusted her clothes and Max couldn’t help notice her nipples straining through the flimsy top she was wearing.   
“Damm you’re so beautiful Beth” he blurted out, she blushed and let out another giggle.   
“You really think so?” she asked with a smile.  
“Yeah, without a doubt” he replied.   
“I bet you say that to all the girls” she teased.  
“Nope, just you miss Greene” he shot back.  
They suddenly heard footsteps and they jumped apart from each other just as Maggie and Hershel walked into the room.  
“Beth there you are” said Maggie with relief in her voice.   
“I’m ok Maggie” said Beth, trying to sound normal.  
“Dr S. told us what happened, are you ok?” Hershel asked.   
“I was a little shaken but I’m ok now” Beth answered.  
“Why did you come here?” Maggie asked suspiciously.  
“Max thought it would good for me, face my fears” Beth replied.   
Hershel turned to Max, smiling warmly at him and Max felt a little bad that was just making out with the man’s teenage daughter.  
“Are you sure you’re ok Beth, your face is all flushed” Maggie asked.  
Max almost choked and he saw Beth’s eyes flashed towards him in panic but she managed to keep her composure.   
“I’m all right Maggie, really” Beth assured her  
“Ok but lets get you some fresh air” Maggie suggested.  
The four of them walked out of the library, Maggie and Beth in front while Max hung back with Hershel.  
“I’m not happy with that doctor, he ensured me he would keep that boy locked up” Hershel said quietly.  
“You decided what to do with him yet?” Max asked, referring to Zach.  
“Unfortunately no” Hershel replied.  
Max didn’t comment and just looked ahead, not wanting to get into it again.  
“I want to thank you Max, you seemed to be in the right place in the right time when it concerns my daughter” Hershel said.  
“Just doing my job” Max replied and Hershel nodded in response.  
Beth glanced back and smiled at Max but quickly looked back as Hershel looked at her. Max couldn't be certain but he believed Hershel didn’t suspect anything. Max planned to be far more cautious from that point on if Beth and himself were to have a relationship but he also had a growing feeling everything was going to be fine.


	48. Chapter 48

Beth shielded her face from the mid morning sun as she looked through the fence and hoped Max would be ok. He and several others had departed on a run that morning, once again looking for supplies. Beth had been worried they were going back to that warehouse but her father had confirmed that they weren’t.  
Beth sighed and turned away from the fence and became lost in her thoughts. Seeing Zach the day before had shocked her, she hadn’t really thought about what she would do if she ever saw him again and had run away in response. She remembered just standing in her cell and shaking in anger. Beth wished she had punched him, hurt him like he had her and made him pay for what he did. She wasn’t surprised when Max had followed her but was surprised when he had taken her the library. Beth thought she would never return to the room but when Max had kissed her he had changed the room forever, it was no longer the place she was attacked, it was now the room she and Max had their first real intimate moment.   
A cry pulled her from her thoughts and she turned to see Carl holding Judith in his arms, who wasn’t exactly happy.  
“Need some help?” Beth asked Carl and he gave her a grateful smile.  
“I don’t know what’s wrong, I’ve fed her and she doesn’t need changing” he answered.  
“What’s the matter Judy?” Beth asked soothingly.  
Beth took Judith from his arms and began rocked her gently but she kept crying. Beth patted the girl on the back a couple of times and Judith let out a burp. She stopped crying instantly, gurgled happily and Beth could only smile.  
“Better now?” she asked her.  
“How do you do that?” Carl asked, impressed and Beth just shrugged.   
It came naturally to her, even from the start when Judith had been born when Beth was the one taking care of her she had excelled at the task.  
“You’ll make a great mum some day” Carl said.  
Beth blushed and smiled at Carl, she had always wanted a baby of her own, a little boy or girl to raise. It was just a fantasy though, something that wouldn’t happen any time soon.  
“Thanks Carl” said Beth.  
Carl was about to say something else when Carol appeared with the children following her.  
“Carl time for your lessons” called Carol.  
Beth heard Carl sigh and she laughed, she knew Carl would like nothing better than to skip the lessons but Rick had insisted he attend them regularly.  
“Go on, I’ll watch Judith” she said to him.  
Carl nodded and joined Carol and the others and they disappeared inside.  
“So Judy, what are you and I going to do today?” Beth asked.   
Beth decided to take her for a walk but grabbed Judith a hat first, not wanting her to burn in the sun.  
When the two of them were applied in some sunscreen and with Judith sporting a cute cloth hat, Beth walked with her down into the field and sat down in the grass. They watched the fence crew go about their duty of killing the horde of walkers that amassed along the fences each day.  
Beth smiled as she saw Karen with Tyreese’s arm wrapped around her and smiled at them. Karen saw her and waved. Beth waved back, they made a nice couple and wondered if she and Max could ever have that. Beth wasn’t exactly sure what she and Max were yet or what they were even doing, all she knew was how it felt when Max had kissed her. Would Max ever consider being her boyfriend even if what they were doing was just in secret?.   
Judith made a noise and handed Beth a handful of grass, Beth laughed and took it from her.  
“Oh is this for me?” she asked.  
Beth played with the grass Judith had handed to her and looked over to see Karen and Tyreese kissing and laughing and she sighed.  
She thought back her experiences with Jimmy when the two of them had found time to be alone. Beth had never would have admitted it but she had never enjoyed kissing him, Jimmy had always been clumsy, awkward and unsatisfying. But kissing Max was very different, he knew what he was doing and in that brief moment it was far better than any make out session with Jimmy.  
Beth smiled to her self as that moment in library played through her head again, his lips on hers and on her neck and his hands burning against her skin as he pressed himself into her.  
She blushed at that memory, remembering the tingles it sent through her and wondered if he would take it further next time they found themselves alone.   
Beth knew they couldn’t sit around all day, even if she was watching Judith and decided to do some of the chores she had been neglecting over the last couple of days.  
She decided to wash some clothes first, she was almost running out of clean ones and she didn’t want to have to wear dirty clothes around Max. It was a irrational thought given the world they now lived in but she didn’t want to smell around him.  
Beth juggled her pile of dirty clothes and Judith and walked out the washing area. Some others were already there and they smiled at her as she joined them.  
Beth smiled back, she placed Judith on the ground in a patch of shade and some of the Woodbury women began to fawn over her. Beth chose one of the empty tubs and one of the men helped her fill it. She thanked him, poured in some washing liquid and began washing her clothes, while keeping an eye on Judith, who was busy playing with some pegs.   
Once her clothes were washed and hung them out, Beth carried Judith inside for some lunch. She grabbed Judith’s food and something for herself. As she sat down at a table she was soon joined by her father.  
“How is she today?” he asked.  
“Real good, she is growing up so fast” Beth replied.  
“I know that feeling, it feels like just yesterday you were that size and now look at you” he said wistfully and Beth smiled lovingly at her father.  
“Oh daddy I’m still your little girl” she promised.   
“But becoming a woman too” he said softly.  
Beth blushed at the compliment and wondered if he really knew how much of a woman she was becoming. She wondered what he would think about what had happened between her and Max but pushed it out of her mind, not wanting to imagine the outcome.   
After lunch Beth put Judith down for a nap and Carl offered to her watch over her so Beth wandered outside.  
As she did, she heard the sudden roar of a familiar engine and her pulse raced as she looked through the fence to see the Bushmaster drive though the main gate. Beth almost couldn’t contain herself as she watched the APC drive up to the prison and waited excitedly till the vehicle came to a stop.  
Beth smiled warmly at Max as he jumped down from the drivers seat, alive and safe, he smiled back it took all of her strength not to rush into his arms.  
“How did it go?” she asked casually as she walked over to him.  
“Not bad, no trouble” he replied.  
The back opened and the others stepped out carrying some boxes of supplies they had found and Beth smiled happily at Maggie, glad she had made it back safely as well.  
“Find anything interesting?” Beth asked.  
“No not really, just some essentials” Maggie answered.  
Beth nodded and Maggie walked past, carrying her box inside with everyone else leaving just Max and Beth and Rick by the Bushmaster.  
“No trouble here?, Judith and Carl ok?” Rick asked.  
“Nothing happened, Judith’s taking a nap and Carl’s watching her” Beth answered.  
Rick smiled, relived and went to go find his children. It was then just the two of them, standing close together, the energy between them almost unbearable.  
“Come here” Max said softly, holding out his hand.  
Beth looked around quickly, there was no one about and allowed herself to pulled behind the Bushmaster, where Max pressed her against the vehicle and placed kiss on her lips that left her breathless.  
“Been waiting to do that all day” he said.  
“Me too” Beth said with a giggle  
She smiled up at him happily as he held her and wished she could just kiss him all day.  
“I brought you back something” he said suddenly.  
“You did?” Beth asked.  
He grabbed a pack on the seat in the Bushmaster and pulled out a small plastic case, handing it to her.  
Beth took it and looked inside it to see several little bottles and her eyes lit up.  
“You got me nail polish?” she asked.  
“Yeah um when we were in the store Maggie mentioned you used to use it, so I grabbed you some ” he said sounding sheepish and rubbed the back of his neck.  
Beth held the gift to her chest and grinned. Back before the outbreak, she had enjoyed putting on nail polish, trying different colours and swapping with friends.   
“I love it” she said.  
“Yeah?” he asked, sounding relieved.  
“Yeah, I do” she replied.  
“Anything else you want, just let me know” he said.  
“Just you for the moment” she answered, letting out a little laugh and Max just grinned at her.  
“Sorry that sounds really cheesy” she said.   
“Well maybe a little” he agreed.   
Beth punched him playfully in the arm and gave him a fake pout.  
“Ow, easy miss Greene” he winced and rubbed his, still grinning at her.  
“Well don’t make fun me” she said threateningly but unable to keep her own smile off her face.  
“Yes mam” he replied.  
They heard footsteps and the two of them shifted quickly apart just as Glenn appeared to collect the last of the boxes.   
Glenn didn’t seem to suspect anything and just smiled brightly at them as Max handed him one of the boxes.  
“Hey Max we are going to make some late lunch if you’re interested” Glenn said.  
“Yeah sounds good mate” Max replied.  
Beth and Max followed Glenn into the mess where Beth saw Maggie, Sasha and Daryl standing around the food cage fixing themselves a meal and Beth quickly hid the case of nail polish behind her back, hoping Maggie wouldn’t see it  
“That the last of it?” Maggie asked and Max nodded as he placed his box down.  
Beth was relived when Maggie didn’t see what she was holding but didn’t press her luck and quickly excused herself to hide the case in her cell.  
When she returned to the mess, the run group were all sitting round a table, chatting and eating. Beth didn’t feel like intruding but she caught Max’s eyes and his slight head movement, indicating the free seat beside him and she joined the table.  
“So anything exciting happen today?” Maggie asked her.  
“Not not really” Beth replied.  
She pressed her leg against Max’s to assure him she was lying and almost jumped as he squeezed her knee, sending little waves of pleasure though her body.  
The group talked for a bit before they excused themselves to attend to other duties including Max and Beth helped Maggie put away the supplies.   
Once that was completed Beth collected her clothes and was folding them when Karen wandered over.   
“Hi Beth” she said  
“Hey Karen” replied Beth, smiling at the older woman.  
“I heard about yesterday, you ok?” Karen asked, concerned.  
“I’m fine it was a little unsettling seeing Zach again but I am ok now” Beth admitted.  
Karen nodded and didn’t press the subject and started helping Beth with her folding.  
“And how did things go with Max?” Karen asked.  
Beth blushed and busied her self with the shirt in her hands but let a little smile play across her lips.  
“That good huh?” Karen asked teasingly.  
Beth considered lying, the less people that knew about them the better but Karen had been the one to convince her to tell Max how she felt and she didn’t deserve to be lied to.  
“I told him and kissed him” Beth replied and Karen smiled at her, squeezing her shoulder softly.  
“Listen I know I said to tell him how you felt and you have now but just be careful ok” Karen said with seriousness in her voice  
“I know, we are taking it slow” Beth assured her.  
Karen gave her another smile and the two of them finished up the folding in comfortable silence  
Beth wondered if Karen would say anything but Beth had good feeling that she would stay quite about what she knew.   
After Beth put her freshly folded clothes away, she picked up the little case of nail polish she had hidden under her pillow and began laying the bottles out on the bed.  
“Pink would look good on you or the blue” said Max, making her jump and turned to see him standing at the door.  
“What about the black?” she teased as he stepped into the cell.  
“Thinking of going goth?” he asked.  
Beth laughed and shook her head, never in a million years she thought. There had only been a couple of goths at her high school and never saw the appeal.  
“No I think I’ll go with the cheerful colours” she said and Max smiled at her.   
Beth then realised they were alone together in her cell for the first time since they had declared their feelings for each other and began to feel a little nervous. She imagined him pushing her back on her bed, kissing her and running his hands over her body and she bit her lip at the image.  
“Beth?” Max asked.   
She looked up at him to seem him looking back at her and he probably was wondering why she had gone all quite. It was to risky to ask him to kiss her, it was the middle of the afternoon and anybody could walk by but she wanted some actual alone time with him.   
“Max can we do something later, you know together?” she asked shyly, giving him a hopeful look.  
The question sounded stupid as she said it out loud but he just smiled and she relaxed.  
“Yeah sure, how bout some more astronomy lessons after dinner?” he suggested.  
It sounded perfect to Beth and she nodded in agreement. Max excused himself promising to see her later at dinner and Beth sighed happily, laying back on her bunk and imagined what would happen later.   
At dinner time Beth sat next to Max again and quickly began wolfing down her food, the sooner she finished, the sooner she and Max could start their ‘astronomy lesson’.  
“Hungry Beth?” her father asked.   
“Huh?” she asked mid bite.  
She looked up to see the table looking at her with curious smiles and she put her fork down, blushing.  
“Or somewhere you need to be?” her father asked, smiling.   
Beth shook her head and thankfully he didn’t ask any follow up questions, sparing her any more embarrassment.  
“So Max any more astronomy lessons planned?” Maggie asked, changing the subject  
Beth snapped her head up to look at Maggie, the timing of the question couldn’t be worse and wondered if Maggie suspected anything.  
“Ahh actually yeah, thought I might continue tonight” Max replied.   
“Oh cool, mind if I tag along?, it might be cool to learn the constellations” asked Glenn, sounding interested.  
Beth couldn’t believe what she was hearing and her heart sunk. She tried her best not look phased by Glenn’s question, hoping Max would be able to turn him down.   
“Hey yeah it might actually came in handy” said Maggie.  
Beth almost groaned, her little plan to get Max to herself was crumbling down, Max might be able to dissuade Glenn but Maggie wouldn’t be so easy and would look suspicious if he tried.  
“Yeah ok, after dinner then” Beth heard Max say.   
When dinner was finished, Beth, Max, Maggie, Glenn and a few others made their way outside. Beth walked in silence along side Max as they walked ahead.  
“Sorry Beth” Max said softly.  
“Its ok” she replied.  
The little group set themselves down on the grass and Beth couldn’t help but let a little jealous anger seep into her as Maggie and Glen cuddled into each other.   
Max pointed out the constellations and asked Beth to name them and to her credit she managed to remember most of them which cheered her up considerably.  
After a while the group decided call it a night. Beth hung back hoping the group would just go and leave her and Max but Maggie looked at her expectantly and she reluctantly followed her and Glenn back inside.   
Beth retired to her cell, fuming and frustrated, she tried to sleep but couldn’t and just rolled in her bed. She needed to cool off and decided to take a shower, hoping it would help.  
The prison was now silent as she made her way to the showers, she didn’t run into anyone and found the shower room empty. She picked one of the stalls, undressed and sighed softly as the cool water cascaded over her body.   
The shower did help a bit but she was still angry about what had happened. She turned off the water, sighed and began drying herself off.  
She was pulling on her underwear and her tank top and was about to put on her jeans when she heard footsteps. Beth peeked her head out to see who it was and was pleasantly surprised to see it was Max. He stopped, smiled at her and she smiled very happily back.   
“Evening miss Greene” he said as he put his shower bag on one of the sinks.  
“Evening” she replied.  
“Can’t sleep?” he asked, coyness in his voice.  
“You could say that” she answered.  
He just grinned at her and crossed his arms across his chest that was hidden behind a tight tank top. Beth’s eyes drifted over the rest of his body and Beth bit her lip at the sight of his toned muscled legs, and the small pair of shorts he was wearing, very much liking the look.  
Beth realised she had what she wanted, she had Max alone and stepped out of the stall. She saw his eyes widen as she stood before him in just her panties and thin shirt and waited for him to say something.  
Beth saw a look of lust flicker across his face, her pulse quickened, her breath caught in her chest as he stepped towards her and knew whatever happened next would change their relationship forever..


	49. Chapter 49

Max needed a shower, to cool off and to wash away the days sweat. He grabbed his things and headed to the showers.  
The day had been a good one, the run had gone well, without any problems. Max had been a little hesitant to join the run, not liking the idea of leaving Beth at the prison after what had happened with Zach, even with trusted others staying back but he wouldn’t haven’t been able to explain why he didn’t want to go, even if it was continue Beth’s training.  
When the group had got back he found Beth waiting and Max was relived to see her safe and sound. He had also been a little worried if Beth would like the gift he had managed to smuggle back but she loved it nevertheless.  
At dinner Max had tried his best to ensure the alone time he had promised Beth but Glenn made that all but impossible. He had sensed Beth’s disappointment during the group star gazing lesson but was quite proud when she managed to remember most of the constellations he had taught her.  
Max had followed Beth, Glenn and Maggie back inside, keeping a small distance. He wanted nothing better than to pull Beth back but he would have to bide his time.  
So now, needing to clear his mind and come up with a better plan he decided to take a shower. As he entered the shower room he found the room already occupied and a smile appeared on his face when Beth peeked her head out the stall.  
“Evening miss Greene” he said, placing his bag down.  
“Evening” she replied.  
“Can’t sleep?” he asked.  
“You could say that” she answered back  
He had no idea how he was going to get her alone next but here they were in the deserted shower room, alone together with a great chance of not being disturbed.  
Beth stepped out of the shower stall and Max’s mouth went dry as he saw she dressed only in a thin top and a pair of white cotton panties. Her top hugged her petite frame, showing off her breasts and Max could see the outline of her teen pussy through her panties.  
She looked like a goddess, sexy and completely innocent at the same time and Max had her all to himself. A primal urge rose in him, he wanted her and stepped towards her.  
“Max?” she asked.  
Her voice broke him from his daze and he saw her giving him a nervous smile and stopped dead in his tracks.  
“God you look so beautiful Beth ” he said, finding his voice.  
Beth blushed, biting her lip again and she let out a little giggle, reverberating clearly in the empty room.  
“You like what you see Max?” she asked softly.  
“I think that’s understatement” he replied.  
She giggled again but it was a nervous one and Max couldn’t blame her. She was probably trying to guess what was going to happen next and that was all up to him. The primal urge to take her right there and then rose up inside him again but he forced it back down. This needed to be handled right, he gathered she was a virgin but he couldn’t be certain and he needed to find out before anything happened.  
“Beth how far have you gone?” he asked.  
Her smile disappeared, replaced by a shy look, betraying her innocence.  
“What do you mean?” she asked.  
“Beth you know what I mean” he replied.  
She looked at the ground, not looking at him and played with a pool of water with her foot. He knew this was hard for her but he needed to know.  
“Beth?” he pressed and she looked back up at him.  
“I’ve only had one boyfriend, his name was Jimmy and we met at school just before the outbreak” she revealed, pain evident in her voice  
Max wasn't exactly surprised by the information nor was he bothered by it and let her continue on.  
“We dated for a while and then the outbreak began, his parents were killed and he stayed with us until he died the night we lost the farm” she said.  
“So you and he never?..” he trailed off.  
“No we only reached the kissing stage and wasn’t exactly an adventurous boyfriend, besides he was terrified of my father” she replied.  
Max had his answer, she was more inexperienced than he thought but that innocence only turned him on more.  
“You’re not disappointed are you?” she asked.  
“Why would I be disappointed Beth? Max asked back in reply.  
“I don’t know, you’re older and more experienced and I don’t want to give you another reason to think I was too young for you” she answered.  
“I would never be disappointed in anything about you Beth and your age doesn’t bother me” he assured her.  
She stepped into him and pressed her body against him. She craned her neck and Max leant down to kiss her softly. She smelt amazing, a mixture of coconut and honey, most likely her shampoo.  
“I wish I was taller, so I can kiss you properly” she said wistfully as she broke away from their kiss.  
“I think I can fix that” Max suggested.  
Before she could respond, he picked her up and placed her down on one of the metal sinks. She gasped slightly as her bare arse touched the cold metal but she didn’t complain.  
“Better?” he asked as she was now pretty much level with him.  
“Much better” she replied  
She straddled the sink, her legs spread wide and put her hands on either side of her to steady herself, pressing her back against the mirror behind her.  
Max moved into her, her knees pressed into his side and he crushed his lips against hers.  
Beth moaned softly in his mouth and could not doubt feel the bulge pressing against her crotch. Max could feel the heat radiating off her and the wetness soaking the thin materials they were both wearing.  
Their kissing intensified, Beth began tugging at his shirt, Max broke away so she could pull it up his chest and up over his head. She dropped the shirt to the floor and then gasped softly as she noticed the battle scars and bullet wounds adorning his bare chest.  
“Oh Max” she whispered softly.  
The scars were numerous, collected during his career, some had almost been fatal, like the bullet wound above his heart and the wound from some shrapnel that had pierced his lung.  
“Do they hurt?” she asked, worry in her voice and Max saw her eyes mist over.  
“They hurt like hell at the time, but not any more” he replied.  
“Can I touch them?” she asked, hesitantly and he nodded.  
Beth reached her hand out and traced a finger along one of the bigger scars. He let her touch until her hand drifted further down and Max took her hand.  
“Later Beth” he warned.  
She gave him a nervous smile and wrapped her hand around his and pulled him back into her. They began kissing again, Max moved from her lips to her neck and began to slip his hand up her top.  
“This ok Beth?” he whispered in her ear.  
“Yes I want you to touch me Max” she said, her voice strong and unwavering  
He continued upwards and palmed one of her breasts softly in his hand. Beth let out a little moan as his fingers brushed across her nipple and Max couldn’t help but smile.  
“That feels so good Max” she whispered.  
“Yeah?” he asked.  
“Yes” she answered and Max moved his hand to the other side.  
“Do you want to see them?” she asked.  
He pulled his hand out and before he could say anything, Beth quickly pulled her top off, revealing her breasts to him.  
Max took in a sharp breath as he viewed them, he had never been bothered by breast size and Beth was no exception, they looked beautiful to him.  
“Do you like them?” she asked, nervousness in her voice again.  
“They’re perfect Beth” he replied.  
“They’re small though” she said  
“Not to me” he assured her.  
She gave him a relived smile and Max realised he was now standing before a half naked Beth Greene with only a small piece of underwear separating her from being completely naked. He wanted nothing better than to rip the drenched panties off her and see her hidden treasure. His cock ached and needed release but he still needed to control himself not matter how much he wanted her.  
“What do you want to do now?” she asked in a small voice.  
Max couldn’t find his, he wanted to tell her exactly what he wanted but just seeing her displayed like she was made him tongue tied.  
“D-do you want to touch me again?” she asked.  
Max was drawn like a moth to a flame, he reached down and placed his hand against her, rubbing the material of panties against her mound.  
“Damm you’re so wet” he growled.  
Beth didn’t answer and just let out a low moan as she arched her back, pushing herself against his hand. He took her response as invitation to continue and slipped his hand inside her panties.  
His fingers passed though her soft curls and his hand slotted against her nicely.  
“Oh my god” she moaned as he pressed his thumb against her clit.  
“Like that?” Max asked  
Her saw Beth bite her lip and nod, she was gushing now and Max eased a finger passed her slick folds and inched inside her. Beth’s tight pussy gripped his probing finger and he pushed in further, her whole body jolted and she let out a loud moan, echoing around the room.  
“Shh Beth gotta be quiet” he warned.  
“Sorry, please don’t stop” she whispered.  
“Wouldn’t dream of it” he replied.  
She was tight, so tight and Max wondered what it would feel like wrapped around his cock but that was an experience for another time and continued to move his finger in. He found her barrier and stopped, she was indeed a virgin. He didn’t want to bust it with his finger and instead began to slide his finger in and out, brushing across her clit as he did.  
Her juices were now flowing down her thigh and her breaths were coming in little pants, she wasn’t going to last much longer and Max pressed on.  
“Oh shit Max I’m going to cum, don’t stop, please yes just like that” she begged, her words almost incoherent.  
Max took his other hand and placed it on one of her breasts, sending her over the edge. Her legs clamped around his hand, her body seized up and an obvious orgasm shot through her.  
Max continued his assault, not letting up until she grabbed his hand, begging him to stop, the pleasure was just too much for her. He pulled his hand from her and she collapsed against him, her body quivering.  
“Oh my god Max that was amazing” she said, her face buried in his chest.  
“Glad you liked it” he said, holding her tightly.  
“Liked it?, I loved it, you just gave me the best orgasm of my life” she said, looking up at him.  
Hearing this was like music to his ears and planned to give her a lot more whenever he could.  
She was still trembling slightly and he picked her up gently off the sink. She stood, wobbly at first and smiled up at him as she pulled her top down, covering up her breasts.  
“Do you um want me to take care of you?" she asked, her eyes fixing on his crotch. As much he wanted her soft hands around his cock, they had spent far too much time without anyone finding them and he wouldn't last very long anyway.  
“Not tonight Beth” he said and she gave him a confused look.  
“Why not?” she asked.  
“We can save that for another time” he replied.  
She looked disappointed at first but her eyes then lit up as she realised what he meant.  
“Are we going to do this again?” she asked.  
“If you want” he replied with a grin.  
“Are we going to have sex?” she asked.  
“We’ll work our way to that” he answered  
Max let that information sink in and Beth gave him sly smile. The two of them stood looking at each other before she let out a little giggle and Max joined her.  
“I’ve imagined you touching me for so long Max” she said.  
“Better than expected?” he asked  
“Oh much better” she replied.  
Beth quickly wiped herself then gathered up her jeans and pulled them on, she gave him a look like she didn’t want to leave but they had taken such a risk already and it was a miracle they hadn’t been discovered. She gave him a long parting kiss and walked to the door, pausing before she walked through it and looked back.  
“Max?, am I your girlfriend?” she asked.  
“Yes miss Greene I think you just might be” he replied.  
She gave him a brilliant smile and disappeared out the door. Max stripped off his shorts and stepped in one of the showers and quickly brought himself off, spilling onto the floor.  
After cleaning off under the cool water and redressing, he made his way back to his cell where he fell into a deep sleep filled with images of Beth and couldn’t wait to get her alone again.


	50. Chapter 50

Beth woke in a ecstatic mood and smiled to her self as the night before flooded her memory. The feeling of Max’s hands on her body, on her breasts and between her legs had been an incredible experience and wanted to feel it all again. She had been a little disappointed that she didn’t get to return the favour and vowed she would the next time.  
She got up, fixed her hair and picked out an outfit she hoped Max would like and made her way to the mess, humming happily to herself.  
Beth spotted Maggie and Glenn eating breakfast and grabbed her own, joining them at their table.  
“Well you’re cheerful today” said Maggie as Beth sat down next to her.  
“Yep” Beth agreed.  
“Good sleep?” Maggie asked.  
It had been a good sleep, she had been wiped out after she left the showers and had fallen asleep as soon as her head had hit the pillow but she couldn’t tell Maggie the real reason why she was in such a good mood.  
“Yeah really good” she answered.  
Beth was almost finished her bowl of cereal when Max walked in. As soon as she saw him, her heart began to race and she flashed him a smile, which he returned.  
“Morning Max” said Glenn as Max joined them with a bowl in his hand  
“Morning” Max said, returning the greeting.  
Beth almost couldn’t contain herself as he sat across from her and she had to pretend everything was normal.  
“You look like you had a good sleep as well” Maggie noticed.  
“Yeah, not bad” he said and flicked his eye on Beth.  
She did her best not to smile too much and continued eating her breakfast as Max started on his.  
“So you and Beth going to be training again today?” Glenn asked.  
He sounded a little too interested and Beth began to worry he might want to join them, like he had invited himself the night before.  
“Yeah, need to catch up” Max replied.  
Glenn only nodded and Beth relaxed. Maggie and Glenn soon finished off their food and excused themselves, leaving Max and Beth together.  
“So last night was fun” she said casually.  
“Enjoyed it did you?” Max asked with a grin.  
“Most definitely, you really knew what you were doing” she replied.  
Max didn’t say anything but just gave her another smile and she grinned back.  
“So did you really mean everything you said last night?” she asked.  
“Every word” he assured her and Beth’s heart sung.  
“So more training today huh?” she then asked.  
“Yeah, another workout session than I think we might start a little bit of weapon training” he suggested.  
Beth nodded and her excitement grew, she wished she could just kiss him but was happily to be spending any time with him.  
Beth waited until Max finished his breakfast and the two of them washed up their things and headed outside.  
They began with as usual with a run then moved onto her workout session. Beth pushed herself, wanting to impress Max as he watched and even managed to do three chin ups before dropping to the ground.  
“Excellent Beth” he said.  
Beth beamed at the praise and sat down to catch her breath. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and took a deep swig of water.  
“Ok want to workout some more or move on to some more self defence?” Max asked her after resting for a bit.  
“Oh um self defence?” she replied, it coming out more of a question.  
“All right then” he said.  
They got up and stood apart from each other and Beth looked at him, ready to begin  
“All right, now I’m going to grab you and you’re going to try and evade” Max said.  
Beth nodded, understanding and he pounced. Beth dodged his arm, quickly moving her body away. She was too busy being impressed with herself that she wasn’t ready for Max’s next move and he grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her into him.  
“Ok not bad, but don’t let your guard down” he said.  
Beth nodded as wrapped his arm around her but the feeling of his hand on her body and the feeling his chest pushing into her back sent tingles through her body and her mind went blank. She let out a little sigh and went slack, enjoying the moment.  
“Beth I need you to focus” Max said, bursting the bubble.  
“Do I have to?” she asked.  
“Yes Beth” he replied.  
She pressed back further into him and felt him harden against her and smiled in response.  
“Beth please” he begged.  
“I’m not doing anything Max” she said innocently.  
“Beth you know exactly what you’re doing, as much as I want it as well, we are out here so I can train you” he explained.  
Beth knew he was right, there would be time pleasure later, cleared her mind and focused, like she was told, on the task at hand.  
Max let her go and began to instruct her more ways to escape from an attackers grip, continuing on from their first lesson and after an hour or so she had managed to break free from him several times.  
“Excellent Beth, getting better and better” he said, impressed.  
Beth beamed at the praise once again, but it still only was practice and she wondered how she would handle in a real situation and hoped she would never have to find out.  
She was exhausted now and they sat down in the grass to rest, taking sips from their water bottles.  
“Well hello you two, how is the training going?” asked her father, walking over to them.  
“Good daddy it’s going really well” Beth answered happily.  
Her father looked at Max for conformation and he nodded in agreement.  
“Well that’s good news, now how bout you two come have some lunch also I do believe you are on clean up duty today Bethie”  
Beth nodded, she had completely forgotten and they headed inside. The mess was bustling with people and the three of them took a table.  
When lunch was finished she and Patrick began clearing while Karen began to wash up. Once everything was collected they began to dry the dishes Karen had washed.  
As Beth dried a plate Karen had handed her, Max got up from the table and walked over.  
“Come meet me in the armoury when you’re done” he asked.  
Beth nodded quickly and he left, heading out of the mess. Beth turned back to see Karen giving her a wide smile.  
“Hows the training going?” Karen asked causally and Beth knew she wasn’t asking about the training  
Beth wanted to tell her exactly how it was going but couldn’t in front of Patrick and just said it was going well. Karen nodded and the trio continued their task.  
Once everything had been washed, dried and put away Beth met Max like promised in the armoury. She saw on the table next him was a row of pistols and she looked a little apprehensively at the collection but relaxed when he gave her a warm smile.  
“Now Beth I know you told me you had some gun training but I think it might be best if we begin with the basics again” he suggested.  
“Ok sounds good” she said.  
She thought back to the few times she had handled a weapon, Rick and Shane had taught her the basics but she wanted learn everything again from Max.  
“You gonna teach me how to shoot?” she asked softly.  
“No we won’t be firing them today, I just want you to handle them, to get a feel for them” he replied.  
Beth nodded and ran her hand over the pistols, inspecting them. She picked one up and turned it over in her hand.  
“That there is a American classic, a Colt 1911, .45 variant, trusted and reliable” he explained.  
Beth nodded, the names and numbers meant nothing to her but she took the information in regardless. The gun felt heavy in her hand and placed it down, picking up another one.  
“Ok now that’s a Glock 17, 9mm, Austrian made and also very reliable” he explained.  
The gun felt lighter in her hand than the Colt. She placed it down and picked up another which looked identical, just smaller and she glanced at Max.  
“Another Glock 9mm just a smaller version” he said  
It fit snugly in her hand and she liked the weight of it. She put it down and continued down the row.  
“All right that’s a .38 special, a very old type of gun, revolvers don’t jam but you sacrifice ammo capacity” he said as she picked up the next pistol.  
Beth nodded again, soaking in the information and her hand drifted back to the smaller Glock again.  
“Like that one?” Max asked.  
“Yeah, is it a good choice?” she asked.  
“Beth I’m not going to tell you which is the one to chose, a gun is a gun and all of these will do the job when needed” he replied.  
With all the pistols inspected Max went through them all again and instructed her how to load them, showing her the different ammo types. When she had learned how each one was loaded, he instructed her how to strip each one down and rebuild it.  
Beth struggled a little with this, all the pieces were a bit confusing to put in the right place but Max never got frustrated with her, just guided her hands when she made a mistake.  
“Good Beth” he said after she had successfully stripped and rebuilt one of the pistols, the smaller Glock.  
“It’s like a puzzle” Beth pointed out.  
“Yeah I guess it is” he said with a smile.  
She was still far from skilled at the process but she was going to learn to be be.  
“Ok I think that might do for today” he suggested.  
Beth nodded and she handed the pistol back to him. Max took it and retrieved a holster from a bag. He placed the Glock in a holster and handed back to her it to her, Beth looked at him in confusion as she took it.  
“It’s yours Beth, your personal weapon, I want you to learn this gun back to front, strip it down and rebuild it until you can do it in your sleep” he explained.  
Beth held the pistol in her hands and gazed at for a moment.  
“You ok Beth?” Max asked softly.  
“Yeah just a lot to take in you know” she replied  
He took her hand and she smiled shyly up at him.  
“I know, sorry if I this is all a bit much” he said.  
“Its not that, I’m just worried about the day I have to use this “ she explained.  
Max looked down up her and reached out to brush his thumb across her cheek, sending tingles through her.  
“I promise you, whenever that day comes that you, I will be by your side, but if I’m not I need to know you can take care of yourself” he said.  
“OK” she said.  
“Enough heavy shit, how bout we do something fun?” he suggested, changing the subject.  
Beth’s eyes lit up and she fixed him with playful smile.  
“No, not that” he said in response.  
“No?” she teased, giving him a pout, running her fingers softly up his arm.  
“It’s too risky Beth” he said.  
“Tonight?” she asked hopefully.  
He gave her a look then nodded and she grinned happily at him, raising her self up so she could kiss him before dropping back down.  
They packed away the pistols and left the armoury together. As they passed through the mess Beth noticed Carol with Judith and smiled. Carol smiled back but it looked strained and Beth walked over to see what the matter was.  
“You ok Carol?” she asked.  
“Oh Beth do you mind watching her for a moment, I have to go attend the council meeting and I’m not sure where Rick is” Carol asked.  
Beth smiled and took Judith from Carol, who smiled her thanks and left for the admin block.  
“So I guess we are babysitting?” Max asked.  
“Yeah I can handle it if you don’t want to” Beth said, hoping he would still stick around.  
“We’ll can’t say no to the company of two beautiful girls” he replied with a teasing smile.  
He reached out his hand and gently tickled Judith’s stomach, who giggled in response.  
“Well ok then, how bout we go outside?” Beth suggested.  
Max nodded and the three of them walked outside into the sun. Beth had a strange feeling as they walked, they could easily be a family. Beth wondered if she would ever hold her and Max’s child and smiled at the thought.  
“What’s so funny?” Max asked.  
“Nothin” Beth answered quickly.  
She looked away quickly to hide her embarrassment and set her eyes on Rick and Carl tending to the pigs.  
“Come on Judy lets go say hi to your dad and brother” she said.  
Beth set off down the path with Max walking beside her and they quickly reached the pig pen. Rick and Carl smiled in greeting and Rick took his daughter from Beth’s arms.  
“So how goes the training?” Rick asked.  
“Yeah really good, we started some pistol training today” Beth explained, a bright smile on her face.  
Beth saw a concerned look flash across Ricks face and his eyes flickered between her and Max.  
“Well good, ahh Max mind if we have a word?” he said.  
Beth turned to Max, who was giving Rick a questioning look and Beth had a suspicion about what Rick wanted to talk about.  
“Yeah sure Rick” Max.  
The two men walked off leaving Judith with Beth. Carl gave Beth a shrug and the two walked up to the prison block. Carl disappeared and Beth decided to feed Judith. Sasha and Tyreese were eating as well and she joined them. She just about to spoon Judith her first mouthful when Max walked into the mess.  
“Well hi big man” said Sasha cheerfully.  
“Hey” Max said simply  
There was clearly something bothering him about what Rick wanted to talk about and desperately wanted to know what it was but couldn’t ask him in front of Sasha and Tyreese.  
“So I heard Daryl bagged another deer so we got venison to look forward to tonight” said Sasha cheerfully.  
Max nodded politely and fiddled with the strap of his watch distractedly. Beth finished feeding Judith and suggested Judith needed a nap. It was exactly a lie, the girl was showing signs of fatigue and would soon need a nap. Beth excused her self and was pleased when Max followed her.  
“What did Rick say?” she asked when they were out of earshot.  
Max looked like he was going to answer but then let out a frustrated breath.  
“He doesn’t exactly agree with you being trained so I basically told him to get fucked” Max replied and Beth’s eyes widened.  
“You told him that?” she asked.  
“Well no, but I told he no say in the matter and if he had a problem he should consult your father” he answered.  
“Why does he have a problem?” Beth asked.  
“Not sure Beth but I’ll talk to your dad about it” he answered.  
Beth nodded but still couldn’t understand why Rick had a problem with Max training her, did he suspect something?, did he know what they were really doing? she asked herself fearfully.  
“Its going to be ok Beth, nothing has changed” he assured and she picked up on what he meant.  
“Ok” she said and gave him a happy smile.  
He left to attended to other duties and Beth took Judith to her crib in Rick’s room. Carl who was reading in his promised to watch over her.  
Beth retired to her own cell and proceeded to jot out her thoughts in her journal, detailing everything about the day. She was midway through a sentence when Maggie popped her head in.  
“Dinners almost ready Bethie” she announced.  
Beth nodded and followed her into the mess for, taking her usual seat next to Max. Daryl’s kill was served up, they all tucked in and soon the sound of eating and talking filled the room.  
Beth was a little worried Rick had already spoken to her father but he made no indication to the fact and Beth relaxed and ate her food.  
“So what made you join the military Max?” he father asked, making conversation at their table.  
Beth flashed a look at Max, already knowing the story and wondered if he was going to tell it again. She saw him hesitate for a moment and she was about to change the subject when he spoke up.  
“Yeah it was a bit complicated actually, after my parents death I got into some trouble with the law and faced some prison time but I was offered the choice of joining the army instead and took it”  
Everyone at the table took a moment to process the new information, Max went back to his food, obviously embarrassed and Beth took his hand in hers under the table, squeezing it in support.  
“Sorry Max, I shouldn’t have asked” her father said gently  
“Nah it’s all right not one of my finer moments, but I don’t regret choosing the army, it straightened me out, saved me actually” he replied.  
“What did you do?” Glenn blurted out.  
Beth glared at him before she could stop her self but she wasn’t the only one as Maggie stared at him.  
“Glenn, you can’t ask that” she said.  
“Sorry” Glenn mumbled.  
“You don’t have to tell us Max, it doesn’t change who you are now” Maggie said softly.  
Beth smiled at Maggie and couldn’t agree with her sister more even though she knew the full story.  
Maggie changed the subject and the awkward moment faded away as they began to talk about other topics.  
After their dishes had been cleared away Beth excused her self, rushed to her cell and grabbed her little note. She ripped out a page and wrote ‘library tonight?’ before folding it and returning to the mess. She took her seat and was glad no one asked where she had gone.  
Beth passed Max the note under the table and felt him take it. She watched Max read it and then give her a small nod.  
When the majority of the room had turned in, Beth announced she was going to as well, she kissed her father goodnight and made her way to her cell. She waited for what seemed like ages in her cell until she heard her father shuffle past her cell and then sprung into action. Peeking her head out she saw the coast was clear and quickly made her way to the library. As she reached it and looked in, Max wasn’t there yet but she was relieved to find it empty.  
Beth looked around the darkened library and realised it was the first she had been there alone since the attack. Painful memories flashed through her mind but she pushed them away.  
Beth began to fret as she waited in the library for Max, starting to fear he wasn’t coming but she relaxed when he saw him slip through the door and her heart pulse began to beat wildly again as he walked across the room to her.  
“I almost thought you weren’t coming” she said.  
“Yeah sorry had to loose Glenn and Tyreese, they wanted to play some poker” he explained.  
“Oh really?” she asked.  
“Yep but I managed to turn them down, I’d much rather be here with you any day” he said wrapping his arm around her and she giggled.  
“That mean you want to kiss me Max?” she teased, running her fingers across his chest.  
It was going better than expected Beth thought, she had feared that Rick had made Max second guess their relationship but she had been mistaken.  
“I think so miss Greene” he growled, sending tingles throughout her body.  
“Well good cus kissing is fun” she said.  
“It sure is” he agreed.  
He pressed her gently against a book shelf and lent down to crush his lips to his hers, Beth melted into him and sighed happily.  
“Lets take this to the couch” she then suggested  
Beth took his hand and led him to one of the comfy couches in the room,. she pushed him into it and straddled him as they resumed kissing. Beth felt one of his hands on hip and the other begin to roam across her back under her shirt.  
The familiar tingle between her legs began to grow and she moaned softly into his mouth. Beth wanted to feel his hands on her again, to feel his fingers inside her again but there something she wanted first.  
“Max, I want to touch you” she whispered in his ear and slipped her hand down to his crotch. She could feel the bulge there and smiled.  
“Beth, not tonight” Max said brushing her hand away.  
Beth pulled away like she had been doused with a bucket of cold water and gave him a confused look.  
“Why not?, did I do something wrong?” she asked, hurt in her voice.  
“No Beth of course not , we still need to take thinks slow ok, we took a big step last night and I think we just need to cool it a bit” he explained.  
“Is it because of what Rick said today” she asked fearfully.  
“No of course not, I said that hasn’t changed anything” he replied.  
“Oh ok” Beth said softly.  
Beth was disappointed, she was still so unexperienced about the whole matter and still wondered if she had done something wrong.  
“Hey, come here” Max said gently.  
Beth resisted for a second but then then allowed her self to be pulled back into him.  
“I still want you Beth, I still want us, that won’t change I just don’t want to mess things up by pushing you to fast” he said and Beth gave him a shocked look.  
“You’re not messing things up Max, I really enjoyed last night, I loved you touching me and I wanted to touch you tonight” she assured him.  
“I know you did Beth but I need you to know I don’t expect that from you, I’m not going to pressure you in anyway” he said.  
Beth relaxed and a pleasant energy between them returned. She smiled lovingly at him, cupping his face in her hands and kissed him softly.  
“You’re so sweet Maxwell Knight” she said.  
“And you’re so beautiful Beth Greene” he shot back.  
Beth blushed, he had said that a couple of times now but it took her breath away when he did.  
“Well you’re pretty hot too Max” she giggled.  
“Yeah?” he teased.  
“You’re the hottest guy in the group and you’re all mine” she replied, giggling again.  
“That I am” he agreed.  
“So you think you’re hot do you?” she teased.  
"Well that and I am all yours Beth" he said laughing.  
Beth giggled again she slipped off his lap to sit beside him. She lay her head on his chest and sighed happily as he wrapped his arm around her.  
“I so glad you rescued me that day, I don’t what I’d do without you in my life” she said softly, brushing her hand over his arm.  
“Same here” he said.  
They didn’t speak for a while, just happy in each others company and Beth just wanted to fall asleep in Max’s arms but she knew couldn’t.  
“I should probably go” she said, breaking the silence.  
“Ok Beth I’ll see you in the morning” he said promised.  
She gave him a long kiss goodnight and reluctantly left him behind. She smiled to herself as she walked back to her cell, she felt like singing and knew deep in her heart she was falling in love with Maxwell Knight.


	51. Chapter 51

Max yawned as he walked into the mess for breakfast and was surprised to see Beth was already up. She was currently occupied with the disassembled pistol in front of her and hadn’t noticed him, so he took a moment to watch her.  
Beth had been practising stripping and reassembling the Glock in every spare moment since he had given it to her two days before and she was getting quite good at it.  
“Hey” she said as she looked up to see him watching her.  
“Morning” he grinned.  
“I’m getting better” she announced proudly.  
“I can see that” he said, impressed.  
He fixed himself some breakfast and for the thousandth time wished had could make some toast and vegemite but with no bread and a serious lack of vegemite in the states, it was never going to happen.  
He carried his breakfast and sat down next to her, giving her knee a quick squeeze under the table, causing her to jump.  
“Careful now” she warned teasingly.  
“Yes mam” he said.  
He wanted to kiss her but several others were eating breakfast and he would have to wait. They hadn’t had met up since the night in the library, expect for a few brief stolen moments when they were able.  
The two of them were still trying to take things slow but it was getting harder and harder to keep that promise, she only had to smile and he wanted to whisk her somewhere private.  
“Are you going to teach me how to shoot it soon?” Beth asked, pulling him from his thoughts.  
“Yeah that’s the ultimate plan, I just need to figure out the best way” he replied.  
Beth nodded happily and finished putting the Glock together, slamming the empty magazine home and placed the pistol down with a flourish.  
“Very nice” he said and she beamed.  
He finished off his breakfast and Beth went to put away the Glock. When she returned they walked outside for their daily training.  
Max watched as she stretched, unable to take his eyes off her bare legs and the hint of midriff and still couldn’t believe he could call this exquisite creature his girlfriend.  
“I think you’re meant to be stretching as well Max” she said teasingly as she caught him staring.  
“Hmm maybe” he grinned.  
“Well you’re lucky I like you watching me” she said.  
Max could only laugh and they proceeded to run a couple of laps around the field. They stopped to catch their breath before moving onto a quick workout then some self defence.  
Once that had all been completed, Beth said she had promised to help her father in the garden so while she did that, Max decided to come up with a way to start her weapon training.  
He would need some sort of firing range for Beth to practise. The easiest way would be to just use the field but firing off dozens of rounds out in the open would only attract unwanted attention and add to the crowd of walkers at the fences.  
Max noticed Glenn sitting at the outdoor cooking area and walked over to him to enlist his help.  
“Hey Glenn I need your help” he said.  
“Yeah sure man, what did you need?” Glenn asked.  
“I need a place I can set up a firing range, preferably inside” he explained.  
Glenn nodded and looked liked he was thinking it over then an idea came to him.  
“You know I might have just the place” he said.  
Max followed Glenn inside and up into the admin block. Glenn opened a door revealing a locker room that had been once used by the prison guards.  
“Will this do?” Glenn asked.  
Max looked around, the room was rectangular in shape with lockers on the walls and two rows of lockers in the middle of the room. If they removed the lockers it would work perfectly.  
“Yeah, this will work” Max said.  
“So we do we need to do?” Glenn asked.  
Max explained they would need to remove the lockers and perhaps make the room somewhat soundproof. Glenn suggested they use unused mattresses and Max agreed, liking the idea.  
“We should probably tell the others before we begin” said Glenn.  
Max nodded and they sought out the other members of the council. They came across Hershel first who was still in the garden. Beth gave him a bright smile as she knelt in the dirt beside her father and Max couldn’t help but smile back.  
“Hey” she said in greeting.  
Max now felt a little strange, if not nervous, talking to her when she was in the company of her father, wondering if one of them was going to slip up.  
Max had also been concerned since his conversation with Rick but Hershel had made no indication Rick had spoken to him so Max hadn’t brought up the conversation yet either.  
“Well hello gentlemen, something on your mind?” Hershel asked.  
“Yeah, Max has a plan to turn the locker room into a firing range” Glenn replied.  
As he said this Beth flashed a look at Max, probably thinking her weapon training would be a while off.  
“Not much space in there” Hershel said.  
“We’ll have to take some of the lockers out” Max explained.  
“Hmm yes that could work and it would give a place for others to practice as well” Hershel mused.  
Max had assumed that, he hadn’t planned for it to be just for himself and Beth and he nodded in agreement.  
He then detailed a plan for the locker room, taking out the lockers and putting up mattresses to muffle the sounds of gunfire.  
“Sounds very doable, when do you plan on starting?” Hershel asked.  
“Today if possible” Max replied.  
“You’ll need help” Hershel said.  
“I can help and we can see if anyone else wants to as well” Glenn offered.  
“I’ll help” piped up Beth  
“I thought you were going to help me today” said Hershel.  
Beth gave him a embarrassed smile and he let out a chuckle. Beth shot Max a glance and he gave her a quick smile in return.  
Max and Glenn then excused themselves and headed up to the main buildings. They came across Tyreese, Bob and Patrick in the mess and they all agreed to help.  
The men made their way to the locker room and judged just how much work was needed to be done.  
The lockers were in sets of three and bolted to the floor on the inside, so each locker had to be busted open to access the bolts.  
Once each locker had been broken open, Max and the guys got to work on the bolts. They were tough and hadn’t been touched in years but soon gave way after some coercion.  
When they had half the lockers ready to be removed, Beth and Karen then wandered into the room, they were holding a tray of drinks which the men accepted gratefully.  
Beth handed Max him a cup and sat down next to him as the others stopped to rest and drink.  
“So this going to be our shooting range huh?” she asked.  
“Yep, sure is” he replied and she gave him an excited look.  
Karen began collecting the empty cups when everyone was done and left the locker room but Beth stayed.  
“Anything I can help with?” she asked hopefully.  
“You finished helping your dad?” he asked her.  
“Yeah, I’m all yours” she replied.  
Her face went pink as she realised what she had just said but no one else in the room made the connection.  
“Well ok how bout you collect all the guard’s stuff out of the lockers” he suggested.  
Beth nodded and went to find some boxes and the guys started back on the lockers. Beth soon returned with some plastic containers and began to remove the belongings left by the guards.  
When all the lockers were unbolted and Beth had gathered everything, Glenn and Bob began to move one of the lockers, causing it came crashing to the floor with a bang.  
Everyone to jumped at the sound and Beth who was standing next to Max, grabbed his arm tightly in her hand.  
“Damm, theses are heavy” said Bob.  
Beth let go of Max and stepped away from him before anyone noticed, giving him a sheepish look but everyone else was distracted and hadn’t caught the moment. Max gave Beth a little smirk and she blushed.  
While Beth began carrying the containers of belongings out, Max and the others began to remove the lockers. The task was slower than Max had expected and after carrying a few of them out into the yard, they decided to leave the rest for the next day, stopping for some lunch.  
After lunch Max went to the room and was gathering up all the tools when Beth returned for the last box and her face lit up when she saw he was alone.  
She closed the door behind her and stepped over to him. Max knew what she wanted, it was still risky but he decided to threw caution to the wind.  
He grabbed her as she got near and pressed her gently against one of the lockers before grasping her by the arse and lifting her up.  
“So strong” she giggled as she placed her arms around his neck.  
Max didn’t answer and kissed her, she moaned in his mouth and held herself tighter against him. He moved from her mouth to her neck and she wrapped her legs around his waist, letting out another little moan.  
“Oh Max” she whispered breathlessly.  
Max became lost in the moment, forgetting where they were and the risk they were taking. He carried her over to a table in the room and sat her down on it.  
Beth reached for his shirt and he allowed her to pull it off, he saw her eyes roam across his scars again but she smiled in delight despite them.  
Max returned his lips to hers, kissing her hungrily and eased her back into the table. He was hard as steel, Beth pressed herself into it and Max let out a groan as he felt the warmth through her tight shorts.  
“I want to touch it Max” she whispered.  
And just like that the moment was shattered, the world came into focus and he pulled away from her. Max would be lying to himself if he said he didn’t want to feel her hands on him then and there but he needed to pick a better time and place.  
“Ok Beth but not now” he said  
She adjusted her clothes and gave him a disappointed scowl.  
“When then?” she asked coldly, looking away from him.  
“Tonight” he answered.  
His quick answer surprised her and she looked back at him.  
“Tonight Beth, I promise and we can do whatever you want” he said.  
She seemed happy with this and a smile appeared on her face again.  
“Anything?” she asked teasingly.  
“Anything” he promised and she giggled.  
Max put his shirt back on and Beth fixed her hair in a mirror in one of the remaining lockers. Once they were both presentable, Beth left first and Max soon followed.  
He wandered outside and noticed Hershel approach him from the garden. Max would have picked a conversation with anyone else after what he had just done with Beth but he couldn’t avoid him every time that happened.  
“Ahh just the man I wanted to see” Hershel said as he reached him.  
“Hershel” Max said evenly.  
“I might have another need for your services Max” Hershel said.  
“Sure what do you need?” Max replied.  
“I need some fertilizer for the garden, the soil is adequate but it was never meant to grow crops and if we wish to grow long term we are going to need richer soil” Hershel answered.  
Max never guessed he would be sent out to retrieve fertilizer, it wasn’t exactly on the required list but he would do anything to keep the group going and especially anything for Beth’s father.  
“No worries I’ll take a team out tomorrow” Max promised.  
“Speak to Rick or Daryl they might know a place to get some” Hershel suggested.  
Max nodded, deciding to ask Daryl and left to find him. He was working on his bike and smirked when Max walked up.  
“Afternoon Dundee” he said.  
Max laughed at the reference, surprised Daryl had even seen the movie. He didn’t strike Max as a man who watched movies, let alone Australian classics.  
“Hey mate Hershel needs some fertilizer for the garden, he said you might know where to find some” Max said.  
“Like a garden place or some shit?” Daryl asked.  
“Yeah something like that” Max replied.  
“Could know a place, you thinkin of heading out tomorrow?” Daryl asked.  
“Yeah” Max answered.  
“I’ll ride with ya” Daryl promised.  
Max nodded his thanks and left the hunter to his work. He ran into Sasha next, she promised to join the run as well and to recruit some others. Max thanked her as well and then decided to retire to his cell to relax.  
When it was time for dinner, he walked into the mess and headed for the Greene’s usual table. It was already occupied by Hershel and his daughters and he took a seat next to Beth.  
She gave his hand a quick squeeze and smiled at him. Max knew she must be excited about their rendezvous and her face certainly showed it.  
“So daddy told me about the fertilizer, do you need anyone else for the run?” Maggie asked as the food was served.  
Beth shot him a worried look but he ignored it as he took held out his bowl.  
“Ahh yeah, Sasha said she was going to get some people to come, so more the merrier” he replied.  
“Fertilizer daddy?” Beth asked confused.  
“Yes, I noticed when we were in the garden today some of the plants weren’t looking to healthy so I think we might some extra help” Hershel explained.  
“Oh ok” Beth said, understanding.  
Everyone began eating and talking about life before the outbreak, Glenn telling some funny moments of his time as a pizza delivery driver and Maggie some college stories.  
Max listened as everyone told a story but stayed silent and so did Beth, both of them happy just to listen.  
When dinner had been finished and cleared away, Hershel joined Carol and Rick’s table. Glenn whispered something in Maggie's ear, who flashed him a grin and the two them rushed out together  
“No guesses what they are going to do” said Beth with a glint in her eye.  
Max just threw her a grin and she smiled back, mostly likely wanting to do what her sister was about to do as well.  
“Are we still on for tonight?” she asked quietly, her excitement barely contained.  
Max couldn’t make her wait for any longer and he wanted to continue what that had started that day just as badly as she did.  
“Yeah let’s meet the library again.” he answered.  
“I can’t wait” she said happily.  
She stood up and walked over to her father to kiss him on the cheek, under the pretence of turning in and walked out of the mess.  
Max waited a few moments and wandered up to the library. It was empty and moonlight poured through the barred windows, illuminating the room perfectly. He browsed the shelves as he waited, coming across books he might read later.  
“Max?” he heard Beth call out.  
“I’m here” he answered and she peeked her head round into the aisle he was in.  
“There you are” she said happily.  
He grinned at her, loving the way the moonlight lit up her hair and took her hand, leading her to the same couch as their last evening meeting.  
As they sat down, Max went to kiss her but she held her hand up to stop him and shook her head.  
“You said anything I wanted tonight, remember” she said teasingly.  
“I did, didn’t I” Max agreed.  
She smiled seductively, placing her hand on his crotch and began to rub softly over it. He let out a little groan and she gave him a satisfied look, moving her hand to his belt.  
Max didn’t say a word and just watched as she undid his belt with trembling fingers and unzipped his pants.  
Beth reached into his underwear and curled her hand gently around his already hardening cock. Max let out a hiss and Beth pulled her hand away and gave him a worried look.  
“Did I hurt you?” she asked.  
“No Beth, just the opposite” he answered.  
She nodded and pulled his underwear down so she could free his cock from its confines. As it sprang free, she just stared at it for a moment with her eyes wide in wonder.  
“It’s so big Max” she whispered.  
Max almost laughed, he was over average and it would be big to her.  
“What do I do now?” she asked shyly.  
Her seductiveness had disappeared, now replaced by her normal shy self.  
“Whatever you are comfortably with Beth” he said gently.  
“Max” she said, needing instructions.  
“Just grip it and stroke your hand up and down” he answered.  
“Like this?” she asked.  
She wrapped her hand around his shaft and he let out another groan.  
“Yeah fuck, just like that” he hissed.  
Beth’s hand on his cock felt amazing and even though she was inexperienced, just her touch was going to make him cum in no time. She gripped a little tighter and started stoking, like instructed and she locked eyes with him, a big smile on her face.  
“Yeah beth keep that up” he moaned.  
“You like this Max?” she asked.  
Her nervousness had gone, now knowing she was doing a good job.  
“You like me touching you Max?” she asked.  
“Yeah Beth I do” he gasped.  
“Yeah?, you like me stroking your big cock” she asked.  
The words coming from her mouth only made him harder and almost didn’t believe it was Beth saying them.  
“Yeah without a doubt” he managed and she giggled with delight.  
Beth continued and Max began to feel the familiar pressure build up and knew he was close.  
“I’m gonna cum Beth, don’t let up” he warned.  
Beth increased her speed, sending him over the edge and he exploded, spilling everywhere. He fell back into the couch, now spent and he heard Beth let out a little giggle.  
He focused back on her as she scooped up some of the cum running down his wilting cock on her finger and brought it to her mouth.  
“Not bad I guess” she said, tasting it.  
“Yeah?” he asked.  
“It’s a little salty but not unpleasant” she answered.  
“Shit Beth that’s fuckin hot” he said and she giggled again.  
“So I did good?” she then asked.  
“Oh hell yeah you did” he replied and she looked very relieved.  
“Well good” she said.  
“So did you get everything you wanted miss Greene” he asked as he tucked himself back into his pants.  
“Almost” she replied.  
“Almost?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.  
“I want to orgasm all over your hand again” she replied.  
“Oh I think might be able to manage that” Max promised with a growl.  
He pushed her back on the couch and pressed his lips to hers, running his hand over her body. He cupped one of her breasts through her top and brushed a thumb over her nipple.  
“Mm that feels nice” she whispered.  
He grinned and continued his hand down her body, pausing to tickle her stomach to tease her.  
“Max, please” she begged.  
Max chuckled, unsnapped the button of her shorts and slipped his hand inside. As his hand eased into her already drenched panties, he was surprised to find her smooth and hairless.  
“When did you shave Beth?” he asked.  
“Last night, do you like it?” she answered.  
It didn’t bother him either way but he had to admit he did like the feeling of her shaved.  
“Yeah I do” he replied.  
He began to rub softly, a little moan escaped her lips and he eased one of his fingers gently inside her.  
“Oh god Max” she moaned.  
Her pussy sucked at his finger, trying to draw more in and coated it with juices. Max pulled his hand from her and she let out a frustrated moan. He ignored her, brought his fingers to his mouth and licked them.  
He was instantly addicted to the taste and wanting to drink from the source. Max saw her looking at him and he grinned  
“Do I taste good?” she asked, giggling  
“Oh yes you do miss Greene” he replied.  
He returned his fingers to her, she closed her eyes and moaned loudly. Max quickly crushed his lips to hers to muffle her and began to kiss her ravenously.  
Max’s hand was soon absolute soaked and he decided to ease a second finger inside her. Beth’s eyes flew open and she let out a gasp.  
“Oh” she whispered.  
“Like that huh?” he asked as he twisted his fingers.  
“Yes please don’t stop Max” she pleaded, her voice sounding strangled  
.Max could tell she was close, her breathing was now erratic and her pussy was gripping his plunging fingers like a vice.  
“Oh it feels so good, so good oh Max I’m going to…” she moaned, trailing off.  
Beth’s back arched up, her mouth opened in a silent scream and a massive orgasm crashed through her body.  
She collapsed back on the couch, lying still and Max could tell she had fainted. He pulled his fingers from her, her eyes flicked open and gave him a smile.  
“Oh god that was amazing once again Max“ she whispered happily.  
“Yeah you seemed to be enjoying it, fainted and everything” he said and she blushed.  
“I’ve never fainted from an orgasm before, I’ve never fainted when I do it” she said.  
“You touch yourself Beth?” Max asked with great interest.  
“Almost every night now” she replied.  
The image of her lying in her bunk, running her hands over her naked body and between her legs was something he most definitely wanted to see.  
“In fact I took care of myself this afternoon” she said with a smile  
“Really?” he asked.  
“You kinda left me a little worked up” she answered.  
“Yeah sorry about that” he said.  
“No it’s ok, I get it and it’s more than all right now” she assured him.  
She moved into a sitting position, tucked herself into him and sighed happily as she lay her head against him. Max took one of her hands in his and kissed it.  
“I wish we could say up here all night” she said.  
“I know, me too” he agreed and gave her a soft kiss.  
She looked like she about to say something but then changed her mind.  
“Ok we better go, before some notices my empty bed” she said reluctantly.  
The two of them smoothed their clothes and Beth did the best she could with her hair.  
“Tonight was amazing Max, I can’t wait to do this again” she said.  
“We will” he promised.  
They kissed each other good night, both not wanting to leave one another but did so reluctantly.  
They left the library separately and Max made his way back to his cell. He collapsed into his bunk without undressing and fell into a vivid dream filled sleep.  
He woke the next morning, well rested and ready for the day. He collected his weapons and gear then headed into the mess.  
Max didn’t see Beth as he entered, it was still early but he gathered she was most likely sleeping in after the night before.  
He grabbed himself some quick breakfast and waited for the others. He didn’t have to wait long as they trickled in for their own breakfasts.  
The run team ended up consisting of himself, Sasha, Daryl, Maggie, Glenn and Tyreese.  
“Everyone ready?” Sasha asked when everyone had eaten.  
Everyone was and they headed out to the run vehicles, Max made to follow them but paused as he saw Beth walk into the mess.  
“You heading out?” she asked.  
“Yeah” he confirmed.  
She gave him a worried look and Max wanted to give her comforting kiss before he left.  
“Just be careful and come back safe ok” she said.  
Max nodded and headed out to the Bushmaster. As he climbed into the APC and fired up the engine, he promised himself he would return to Beth no matter what.  
The group headed to the nearest town, coming across a garden and plant centre where they found dozens of bags of fertilizer sitting untouched and loaded up the pick up.  
With the fertilizer found Max and the others decided to head back. They were driving through the outskirts of the town when Max saw sign for a gun store.  
“What’s up?” Maggie asked from the passenger side as he pulled the Bushmaster over.  
“I’m just going to check in there” he explained.  
“We raided it months ago” Maggie said.  
“Not for what I’m looking for” he replied  
He jumped down and quickly scanned the street, the were two walkers about block or so away so there was no danger  
“What’s going on?” Daryl asked as he pulled his bike up next to him.  
“I’m going to see if they have some paper shooting targets” he explained, pointing to the gun store.  
Daryl nodded and stepped off the bike, pulling his crossbow from his back. The two of them approached the store while Tyreese and Glenn followed.  
Max and Daryl aimed their weapons at the open door while Tyreese banged his hammer on it and when nothing responded to the noise, they entered cautiously.  
The store had been raided like Maggie had said, with no weapons or ammo in sight but Max found stacks of different types of paper targets in cupboard and took them all. He also found some protective ear muffs and grabbed them too.  
The group continued on their way back to the prison and reached it with no trouble. Max drove through the gates and tried not to smile too much when he saw Beth waiting for them, standing beside her father.  
“That didn’t take you long” Hershel said Max stepped out.  
“Nah not at, found some pretty easily actually” Max said with a smile.  
Hershel walked over to inspect the bags in the back of the pick up and looked impressed with what they had found.  
Max turned his attention to Beth and instantly could tell something was off, she looked nervous and was fiddling with her bracelets.  
“Beth what’s wrong” he asked.  
She began to answer but shut her mouth quickly as Maggie walked up.  
“Hey Bethie” she said, not picking up on Beth’s strange behaviour.  
“Hi Maggie, I was just asking Max how it went” Beth lied.  
“It went well, didn’t it Max?” Maggie replied and Max nodded.  
Maggie began walking inside and took Beth with her. Beth shot a look over her back at him and Max could only watch as she walked away.  
Something was definitely was up and he needed to get Beth alone as soon a possible to find out what was wrong, hoping it didn’t spell trouble..


	52. Chapter 52

Beth rolled around in her bed when she woke, smiling and giggling softly to herself as the events of the previous evening played through her mind.   
The night had been better than the one in the shower room and touching Max’s cock had fascinated her, amazed by it’s size and how it felt it her hand. She had been overjoyed when she was able to make him cum and was going to get her hands on him again soon.   
Beth felt a little tingle between her legs, remembering Max sliding his hand into her shorts and smiling when he found she had shaved. She considered bringing herself off but decided to save it for later, much preferring an orgasm from Max.  
Beth giggled to herself at the thought and decided to get up, wanting to see the Max right away.  
She dressed and walked into the mess, stopping when she saw Max in his tactical vest and with his rifle. Beth had forgotten all about the run and her plans to spend the day with him were dashed .  
“You heading out?” she asked.  
“Yeah” he replied.  
“Just be careful and come back safe ok” she said.  
Max gave her a quick nod and headed outside. Beth watched him go and proceeded to make herself some breakfast.   
Beth was a little worried about Max, Maggie and the others out there but they would come back, they always did and began humming softly as she ate her breakfast.  
“Morning Beth” said Carol as she came into the room with Judith.  
“Morning Carol, morning Judith” said Beth happily.  
Carol went about feeding Judith and Beth continued eating. Once she had finished up, she cleaned away her things and then decided to continue her pistol training.   
Beth made her way to the armoury and then returned back to the mess with her pistol in hand. She was about to get started when she noticed Rick walk in.  
“Morning Beth” he said, walking over to her.  
“Oh Morning Rick” she said.  
She was cautious when talking to Rick since she and Max had become a couple and even more so since the conversation Max and Rick had the other day.  
He took a seat at her table and she saw his smile fade slightly as he looked at the pistol on the table.  
“So I hear you’re getting quite good” he said.  
“Yeah Max’s a great teacher” she said.  
“And he’s building a firing range” he continued.  
“Um yeah Max is going to teach me how to shoot” Beth answered.  
Beth realised how that sounded, as Rick had already given her weapon training but it was the truth and the training on the farm had been so long ago. Rick just nodded and didn’t appeared to be offended but Beth could tell there was something else on his mind.  
“I’ve noticed you two have become quite close” he said.  
“Yeah he’s a really good friend” she replied, keeping her voice steady.  
“And there is nothing going on between you two?” he asked.  
Beth was startled by the question and her breath caught in her chest. She wondered if he knew or if he just suspected. She had to chose her answer carefully as not confirm his suspicions or arouse them any further.  
“What?, no of course not Rick, we are just friends” she scoffed, trying to sound offended.   
“I’ve seen how he looks at you Beth and the way you act around each other so I just needed to ask” he explained.  
“No Rick there is nothing going on between me and Max, we’re just friends” she lied, hoping Rick would be satisfied with her answer and drop the subject.  
“Well ok Beth that’s good to hear, I just needed to make sure” he said.  
He gave her a smile but Beth knew that he hadn’t bought her lies. She started to panic and her heart began to beat faster but Rick didn’t say anything else and stood up to leave.  
Rick walked out of the mess, leaving her alone and Beth just sat frozen, her happy mood now completely vanished, replaced by anxiety and worry.   
What was Rick was going to do?, would he tell her father?, would Rick confront Max?. Her thoughts swamped her mind and Beth felt like she couldn’t breathe.  
“Beth are you ok?” asked a voice.  
Beth blinked and turned to see Carol looking at her with a concerned look on her face.  
“Oh um yeah” she managed to get out.  
Before Carol could ask more, Beth picked up her pistol and fled the room. She retreated back to her cell and flung herself onto her bed.  
Beth let out a scream into her pillow and then pounded it with her fists. What was she going to do?, she asked herself, how was she going to fix this?. Beth screamed into her pillow again and was now a complete mess .   
She wanted to hide in her bed all day but she needed to pull herself together or it would confirm what Rick suspected and she couldn’t let him know he had got her.   
Beth took a deep breath, collected herself and walked outside. The warm sun and fresh air on her face made her feel a little better.   
She heard laughing and noticed some of the children drawing on the concrete with chalk. Mika waved in greeting and Beth waved back.  
“Hi Beth” she called.  
Beth smiled at her and the others and walked over to them.  
“Wanna come draw with us?” Mika asked, holding out a stick of chalk.  
Beth considered turning her down, but then decided maybe hanging with the children would be a great distraction and accepted the chalk.  
“What are you going to draw?” Mika asked.  
“I don’t know, what are you drawing?” Beth asked.  
“Some unicorns, want to help?” Mika replied.  
Beth nodded and began to help the girl draw, relaxing in the children’s company as they laughed and talked.  
Beth was helping Mika shade in one her unicorns when she heard the sound of vehicles and looked to see the Bushmaster and the other run vehicles drive through the main gate. She leaped up and saw her father come out from the cell blocks.  
“Well they’re back early, hope nothing has happened” he father said as she walked up to him.  
A new fear filled her as she watched the vehicles drive up the hill but she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Max, Maggie and the others had all retuned.  
“That didn’t take you long” her father said as Max stepped down.  
“Nah not at, found some pretty easily actually” Max said with a smile.  
As her father checked out the bags, Beth tried to act as normal as possible but Max noticed.   
“Beth what’s wrong” he asked.  
Beth tried to answer but Maggie walked up, preventing her from speaking.  
“Hey Bethie” she said with a smile.  
“Hi Maggie, I was just asking Max how it went” Beth lied.  
“It went well, didn’t it Max?” Maggie replied and Max nodded.  
Maggie began to walk inside and Beth had no choice but to walk inside with her. She shot Max a look over her shoulder, hoping he would understand.  
“Ahh you’re back, how did it go?” Carol asked as Beth and Maggie walked into the mess.  
“Very good, found daddy his fertilizer and Max found some paper targets for his range” Maggie replied.  
Beth looked up at this information and her worry came back once again, would Rick try and stop her training as well?. She needed to talk to Max as soon a possible and excused herself from Carol and Maggie, to look for him.   
As she returned back outside she saw Max by the pick up, about to grab a bag of fertilizer. He noticed her and walked over to her.   
“Max we need to talk” she said.  
He nodded and walked over to the Bushmaster, where he retrieved a stack of paper that had targets printed on them and then the two of them walked to the locker room.   
“Ok Beth what’s going on?” he asked as he shut the door behind them.  
She gave him a nervous look, not knowing how best to tell him but decided to just come out and say it.  
“I’m pretty sure Rick knows about us Max” she said.  
“He does?” he asked sharply, his eyes becoming alert.  
“He was asking questions about us this morning, I told him nothing was going on but I don’t think he was convinced” she replied.  
“What did he say exactly?” he asked.  
“He asked if anything was going on between us and that he had noticed how we act around each other” Beth replied.  
“Ok so he just suspects” he said.  
“But he suspects Max, what are we going to do?” Beth asked.  
“look I already said I’m not afraid of Rick, so he suspects, let him suspect” he growled.  
“But what if he tells my father?” she asked.  
Beth could tell this bothered him and she could see him weighing the options in his mind.  
“Then I will come clean to your father” Max said simply.  
“No you can’t tell him, he won’t accept us and he’ll make you leave” Beth said fearfully.  
Her father would never agree to let them be together and she would rather have Max in secret than not in her life at all.   
“Beth we can’t keep us a secret forever, soon or later someone is bound to find out” he reasoned.  
“I know but they’ll stop us seeing each other or they’ll make you leave, I wouldn’t be able to survive without you either way, I need you Max, I need us” she cried.  
She was close to crying now, her body trembling, he pulled her into him and she buried her face into his chest.  
“We’ll work this out Beth, I promise” he soothed.  
Beth didn’t question how and just let him hold her, pressing herself tighter into him.  
Suddenly they heard footsteps and the two of them jumped apart just as Glenn and Tyreese walked in.  
Max and Beth looked at each other but the two men didn’t pick up of the strangeness between them.   
“Hey we thought we would finish off these lockers” Glenn said.  
“Ahh yeah sure” said Max.  
Beth couldn’t help with anything so left the men to work and went to find something else to distract herself. She found herself in the library and stayed there for the rest of the day, even skipping lunch. No one bothered her, Max didn’t come find her but she was glad considering everything.   
As it got dark Beth put down her book and headed down for dinner. She found Maggie and Glenn as she walked into the mess already seated and joined them.  
“Hey Beth where have you been?” Maggie asked.  
“Oh just doing some reading” Beth answered truthfully.  
Beth saw Max come in, he caught her gaze but he didn’t walk over and she understood. Beth was disappointed but she knew is was for the best. Max began to sit at another table but her father clasped him on the shoulder and led him over to their table.  
Beth gave him a quick smile as he sat down but didn’t dare to touch him, no matter how badly she wanted to slip her hand into his under the table.  
She sensed he was as tense as she was but couldn’t do anything, they would just have to get through it. Beth noticed Rick looking over from his table and felt a cold shiver ran down her back as she locked eyes with him.  
Dinner was served but Beth now had no appetite and as everyone else ate and talked, she barely ate her food and just kept moving it around her plate.  
“Something wrong Bethie?” asked her father, startling her.  
“Huh?” she asked.  
“You’ve barely said a word all night and haven't even touched your dinner” he said, concerned  
“Oh um just not hungry I guess” she lied, forcing a smile.  
“You sure?” he asked, she just nodded and made a non committal noise.  
Her father didn’t press the subject and Beth forced herself to eat, knowing she hadn’t eaten anything since breakfast.   
She managed to get everything down and when everything had been cleared away, she excused herself, not being able to stand being there any longer and retired to her cell.  
Beth lay in her bunk for hours, not being able to sleep as various horrifying scenarios played through her head. Images of Max being forced to leave or being shot by Rick, formed tears in her eyes which ran down her cheeks. She wiped them away but they were quickly replaced.  
She stared up at the ceiling and let out a frustrated noise, cursing Rick under her breath. It was his fault this was happening and wished the man would just mind his own business.  
But he wasn’t going to and it was only a matter of time before he confronted Max and everything would come crashing down.  
Beth had to do something and then it came to her clearly and was only thing to do, she had to tell Maggie.  
She would be angry but maybe Beth would be able to convince her to help and she did, it would be good to have Maggie on her side.  
Beth got out of bed and look out into the dim cell block. The coat was clear and she crept to Maggie and Glenn’s cell and looked in. They were both asleep and she tip toed in, shaking Maggie’s arm gently.  
“Maggie” Beth whispered.  
“Beth?” Maggie asked, groggily.   
“Huh?, what’s going on?” muttered Glenn, waking up as well.  
“Maggie can I talk to you?” Beth whispered.  
“Now?, can it wait till the morning?” Maggie asked, still not moving.  
“No, can we talk, please?” Beth pleaded.  
“Ok Beth” Maggie grumbled.  
Maggie got up slowly, pulled on some pants and stumbled after Beth as she walked into the now empty mess. Beth lit one of the lanterns and the darkened room was bathed in light.  
“All right Beth what is so important that couldn’t wait till the morning” Maggie asked, yawning.  
She looked sleepy but her grumpy expression changed when she saw Beth’s tear stained face.   
“Beth what’s wrong?, have you been crying?” she asked, now concerned.  
Beth looked at her sister, took a deep breath and sat down.  
“Maggie I need tell you something but you have to promise not to get mad ok?” she said as Maggie joined her.  
“Beth what’s going on?” Maggie asked.  
“Maggie, promise” Beth pleaded.  
“I promise Beth, tell me what’s going on” Maggie assured.  
It was now or never Beth thought, hoping what she said next wouldn’t make the situation even worse.   
“Max and I are um seeing each other” Beth said quickly.  
Beth waited for her to explode, she looked confused at first and Beth thought she would have to clarify but then realisation filled Maggie’s face.   
“You’re what?” she asked sharply, her eyes wide.  
“Maggie you promised” begged Beth, hushing her.  
“What do you mean you’re seeing each other?” she asked.  
“We’re a couple Maggie” Beth replied.  
“No, oh no you’re not Beth, this isn’t happening” snapped Maggie and stood up, her eyes flashing angrily.  
Beth could only guess Maggie was about to confront Max and most likely wake up the entire prison in the process.  
“Maggie please don’t, please stop, I love him and I want to be with him” Beth cried as quietly as she could.  
Beth grabbed Maggie’s arm to prevent her from leaving and Maggie just stared at her but she didn’t move.  
“You love him?” Maggie asked as Beth released her arm.  
“Yes Maggie, I love him, I’ve never felt this way before and I don’t know what I’d do without him” Beth said.  
Maggie’s expression was still livid, not doubt angry to learn Max was taking advantage of her sister and wanting to deal with him but it began to softened as Beth’s confession had it’s effect.  
She sat back down and Beth could breathe again but her heart still felt like it was going to beat out of her chest. They just looked at each other for what felt like ages as Beth waited for Maggie to process.  
“When did it start?” Maggie asked softly.  
“Not that long ago and I started it Maggie” Beth replied.  
“Does daddy know?” Maggie asked.  
“No and he wouldn’t accept us” Beth replied and Maggie nodded in agreement  
“How long were you going to keep it a secret?” she asked.  
“I’m not sure, we couldn’t exactly go public” Beth replied.  
“So why are you telling me now?” Maggie asked.  
Beth wondered if Maggie would ask this question, not sure how she was going to bring the subject of Rick up, the whole reason they were having this conversation.  
“Um Rick suspects us” Beth relied softly and Maggie raised an eyebrow.   
“And you’re worried his going to tell daddy?” she asked.  
“Yes but I’m more worried Rick might just kill Max” Beth replied fearfully.  
“Yeah I guess you could expect that from Rick” Maggie said in agreement.  
“See, that’s why I’m so worried” Beth said.  
Maggie’s featured soften as she looked into Beth’s anxiety filled face and Beth heard heard her sigh.   
“Well I can’t say I’m exactly happy about this Beth but I can’t keep you two apart if you feel this strongly about him” Maggie said  
“You really mean that?” Beth asked and Maggie gave her a warm smile.  
“Yeah, we both know you could do a lot worse” she replied.  
“Are you going to tell daddy?” Beth asked.  
“No Beth I’m not going to tell him” she replied and Beth beamed at her.  
Beth felt a surge of joy and was so glad she had decided to tell Maggie, even though it had almost quickly derailed. Beth was also happy that Maggie was going to let her and Max be together but there was still the matter of Rick.  
“What about Rick though?” Beth asked.  
“You leave Rick to me, I’ll handle it” Maggie promised.  
Beth nodded and then threw her hands around Maggie, giving her an enormous hug.  
“Thank you Maggie” she whispered.  
“You’re my sister Beth and if being with Max makes you happy then I’ll help you stay together” she said, hugging her back.  
Beth smiled happily at her and broke their hug, wiping a tear from her eye and then the two of then laughed.  
“So you and Max huh?, I want you to tell me everything” Maggie asked with a smile.  
“What did you want to know?” Beth asked.  
“Have you and Max?..” Maggie asked, trailing off.  
Beth blushed and looked down at the table but a smiled crossed her lips.  
“No but we’ve done other stuff” she answered.  
“Oh my god Beth, what have you done?” Maggie asked, her eyes wide.  
“Maggie, I’m not going tell you” exclaimed Beth, sounding embarrassed.  
Beth certainly wasn’t going to tell her sister exactly what they had done, she didn’t ask her about what she did with Glenn.  
“Beth” Maggie pressed.  
“Ok, we’ve um touched each other” Beth answered, her face burning red again.   
“Really?, did you like it?” Maggie asked.  
Beth just nodded, a big smile appeared on Maggie’s face and they both giggled.  
“My baby sister is growing up” Maggie said.  
They both laughed again and Beth couldn’t believe the night had ended this way. Beth now felt relaxed and was ready for sleep. Maggie yawned and the two of them decided to go back to bed, promising to continue their conversation in the morning.   
Beth hugged her sister again and she slipped into her cell where she fell into a deep sleep as soon as her head touched the pillow..


	53. Chapter 53

Max felt like a marked man as he cautiously walked into the mess for breakfast. He had barely slept during the night, fully expecting to be dragged from his bed for a fatal meeting with a bullet. He had survived but he knew he was still living on borrowed time.  
The day before had been tense from the moment Beth had revealed Rick’s suspicions. It hadn’t exactly been a surprise, Max had his own suspicions but only that he thought Rick didn’t trust him around Beth. He had been alert for the rest of the day and well into the night, trying to anticipate how and when Rick would make his move and felt like he had been back behind enemy lines again.  
Max caught sight of Beth and Maggie at one of the tables in the mess and was about to retreat before they saw him but he wasn’t quick enough, Maggie noticed him and she gave him smile.   
“Come join us Max” she called.  
He made his way over and sat down, flashing a questioning look at Beth who just gave him a little smile. There was a strange energy radiating off the two sisters and their smiles put him off guard even more.  
“Ok what’s going on?” he asked.  
The two sisters looked at each other and smiled before turning back to him.   
“I told Maggie about us last night” Beth answered.  
Max just looked at Beth in surprise and almost didn’t believe what she had said, especially after Beth had begged him not to tell Hershel. He turned his attention to Maggie, if Beth had told Maggie about them last night and he was still breathing, was she ok with the whole situation?.  
“Its ok” soothed Maggie, as if reading his mind.  
“It is?” asked Max.  
“Maggie is fine with us being together Max” said Beth, a bright smile still on her face.  
Max was pretty sure he was dreaming or at least delusional and just looked at them confused.  
“Max it really is all right” Maggie assured.  
He nodded and relaxed and Beth kept smiling like christmas had come early.  
“What about your father?” he asked.  
“Well we’ll have to keep it a secret from him for the time being” answered Maggie.  
Both sisters thought alike Max gathered and if they thought it would be better if Hershel didn’t know then he would have to agree. He then grabbed himself some breakfast and retuned to the table.  
“So, training as usual?” he asked, between bites and Beth nodded.  
“Do you want join us?” Beth asked Maggie.  
“Yeah sure why not?” Maggie replied.  
Maggie went to get changed into some workout clothes, leaving Beth and Max alone.  
“Ok I know I told you not to tell anyone, but I couldn’t sleep last night and decided to tell her” Beth began.  
“Took a bit of a risk telling Maggie” said Max.  
“I know and it almost blew up in my face but it turned out all good in the end” she replied, smiling.  
Maggie returned and the three of them headed outside. Beth acted like a star pupil, proudly showing off to Maggie as they worked out.  
“Come on Maggie” Beth teased as they proceeded through some sit ups.  
“Shh I’m doin it” Maggie shot back.   
Max couldn’t help but laugh as he watched them. Maggie had more strength but Beth was more used to the routine.   
“What’s so funny Max?, does he usually just watch?” Maggie asked Beth  
“Yeah, he likes to watch me” Beth answered with giggle.  
“Oh I bet he does” Maggie teased.  
Max felt his face heat up under the sisters gaze as they looked up at him.   
“I don’t always watch and besides the instructor doesn’t need to participate” he protested.   
“Yes sir” Maggie said with a smile.  
Max gave them a grin then dropped to the ground and quickly smashed out a set of push ups, ending the last few one handed which delighted Beth and Maggie.  
“Damm” said Maggie sounding impressed.  
They finished off the workout together but the girls ended up just watching him and Max kinda liked the audience, feeling more and more relaxed.   
“So how bout you show me what else you have learnt” Maggie suggested after they had taken a short break.  
“Sure” said Beth.  
Beth and Maggie stood up, Maggie then stepped towards Beth in a threatening manner, grabbing her wrist. Beth responded and twisting her body so that she pulled Maggie into her. She swept her foot behind Maggie's leg and sent her sprawling onto the grass.  
“Wow Beth” said Maggie impressed as she looked up at Beth with surprise.  
Beth beamed proudly and helped Maggie to her feet. Maggie brushed off her hands and gave them both a smile.   
“Can you teach me how to do that?” she asked Max.  
“Of course” said Beth, answering for him.  
They spent the next hour going over the basics, like he had with Beth and the two sisters began to practice.  
“Ok Beth you’re going down this time” Maggie threatened as the two squared off.  
“Don’t bet on it” Beth shot back with a smile.  
Maggie lunged and Beth nimbly dodged her attack but Maggie wasn’t defeated so easily, tackling Beth and the two of them crashed to the ground.   
Max thought maybe one of them might be hurt, he rushed forward but he heard them both giggling and they began to play wrestle, rolling around in the grass and laughing loudly.  
“Ok ahh ok stop I give up” cried Beth, laughing as the older sister pinned her to the ground.  
Maggie let her go and Max pulled them both off the ground and they continued to push each other playfully.  
“I need a shower” said Beth, now all sweaty and dirty.  
“Hmm yeah me two, how bout you go get our things” suggested Maggie.   
Beth looked confused and then understood, as did Max, Maggie wanted to talk privately to him.  
“Ok, I won’t be long” Beth warned.  
Beth took off for the cell blocks while Max and Maggie began to slowly follow her. Max wondered what Maggie was going to say first.  
“You know, I never would have dreamt you two ending up together ” she said.  
“Yeah I never really set out to pursue her, it just kinda happened” Max said softly.  
“It’s ok Max, I know, she told me she kissed you first” she said.  
“Yeah she did” said Max, rubbing the back of his neck.  
“She has fallen hard for you Max, I knew she had crush on you but I never though it would go any further than that” said Maggie  
Max could only nod, he had never been one to discuss his feeling, with Beth he felt he could open up to her and tell her anything but anyone else was a different story and it felt a little strange talking about their relationship with Maggie.  
“I wouldn’t dream of hurting her” Max assured.  
“I know you wouldn’t, I believe you but she is still so young and innocent and she’s only had one boyfriend before” said Maggie.   
“She told me about Jimmy” Max said.  
“He was a nice kid, eager to please especially our father but ultimately very wet behind the ears, Beth adored him but it was nothing like it is with you” Maggie explained.  
Max wasn’t sure what to say but Maggie didn’t look like she was expecting an answer, she just wanted to speak her mind and he let her continue.   
“Beth has always been delicate, always seeing the brighter side of things and wanting to see the best in people” she explained.  
“She’s not that delicate” Max said.  
“Well maybe not now, but there was a moment back on the farm we almost lost her” she revealed.  
“Yeah she told me about her suicide attempt” Max said.  
“So she told you about that and it didn’t make you think any different” Maggie asked.  
“Not in the slightest” he assured and bright smile appeared on her face   
“She is lucky to have you in her life, you seem to bring out the best in her and you have all ready proved you will protect her” she said softly  
“And I will with my life” he promised.  
“I have no doubt you will Max” she replied.   
There was comfortable silence between them but there were still matters that needed to be addressed.   
“When should I tell your father?” he asked.  
“You really do want to tell him don’t you?” Maggie asked.  
“This is going to come out eventually, I want your father to find out from me before that happens and besides Beth doesn’t deserve to have to keep everything in the dark ” he replied.  
“That’s noble of you but I’m not sure how daddy will react Max” said Maggie.  
Max just nodded, he sighed heavily and Maggie gave him a warm smile.   
“Look if Rick does tell him, we will just deny it if it angers daddy, it will be our word against Ricks” Maggie suggested.  
“That might work” Max agreed, hoping it would never have to come to that.  
“Ok here comes Beth, don’t tell her anything she will only just worry” said Maggie as they spotted Beth coming back outside and Max agreed.  
“I grabbed yours as well” she said to him as she handed Maggie her shower bag..  
Max hadn’t planned on taking a shower but decided one would be good and took his bag from her.  
“So what did you guys talk about?” Beth asked worriedly.  
“That’s between Max and I” Maggie answered but smiled reassuringly.  
Beth looked a little apprehensive but didn’t push the subject and the three of them headed to the showers   
The room was empty and they each chose a stall. The shower was a great choice and Max felt refreshed and ready for the rest of the day. He stepped out of his stall, shirtless and dying his hair with his towel and Maggie froze like deer in headlights as she saw his bare chest.   
“Holy shit” she said.  
Max saw Maggie run her eyes over his battle scars like Beth did the first time she had saw them. Max wasn’t embarrassed by them at all, they were his badges of what he had survived.  
“Maggie you are staring” Beth warned.  
“Shit, sorry” she mumbled.  
Maggie turned away Max put his shirt back on and Beth gave him a little smile. Maggie turned back, still looking embarrassed. There was a awkward silence as Maggie tried to compose herself.   
“They’re only scars Maggie” said Beth.  
“Yeah sorry, just so many..” Maggie said, trailing off.  
“I saw a lot of action and survived a ton of shit the enemy threw at me” Max explained.  
Maggie nodded and Max smiled reassuringly at her, showing her he wasn’t bothered and she smiled weakly back.  
“Ok how bout we get some lunch?”Beth suggested, changing the subject.  
Max and Maggie agreed and made their way to the mess to see most of the group already there  
“Ahh, there you are” called Hershel from where he was sitting with Glenn.  
Max wasn’t sure he should sit with them but Beth touched his arm, urging him forward and Maggie flashed him assuring look, so he took a seat next to Beth.  
“So I hear you have a new student Max” Hershel asked with a smile.  
“Yeah it would seem so” Max confirmed, letting himself relax in Hershel’s calm manner.  
“Well good to hear, maybe you can train more people?” Hershel suggested.  
Max hadn’t considered training others, he had only agreed to train Beth for Hershel and as an excuse to get closer to her.  
“Um yeah could do” Max replied.  
“No pressure, only if you want to” assured Hershel.   
Max nodded and promised he would think about it. He wasn’t sure if could commit to training a group, even if most of the people at the prison could use some training but if it came to it he would do whatever was required of him.   
“So Max I was thinking we should finish off the firing range after lunch” Glenn suggested.  
“Yeah no worries mate” Max replied.  
Lunch was finished off quickly and cleared away. Maggie, Hershel and Beth went to tend to the garden, Hershel wanted to spread the newly acquired fertilizer. Glenn and Max made their way to the locker room and several others joined them to help.  
With all the lockers now removed they could start to bring in the mattresses to soundproof the room. They found a stack of unused ones in a storeroom and began to carry them back. After several trips they had collected all the mattresses needed and started attaching them to the the walls.  
The finished product was far from fancy but it was functional and the guys congratulated themselves on the job.  
“Damm this deserves a beer” said Tyreese.  
“You’re buyin” growled Daryl jokingly.  
“I’ll start up a tab” Tyreese promised.  
They all began walk out to attend to other things and Max was about to follow them when Beth walked in. Her eyes lit up as she looked around the room, seeing what they had done.  
“It’s finished?” she asked.  
“Pretty much, we can begin training tomorrow” he replied.  
“Why not now?” she asked hopefully.  
“Hmm, itching to get started are we?” he asked teasingly, stepping closer to her.   
“Its just been a really good day and I want it to keep going” she replied.   
“It has been a good day hasn’t it” Max agreed and she smiled happily up at him.   
“So can we start today?” she asked.  
“No but we’ll have the whole day tomorrow” he replied.  
“Good I can’t wait” she said happily.  
They stood looking at each other in silence for a few minutes Max wanted to kiss her and he guessed she wanted him to as well but they would have to be extra careful now even if Maggie knew, there was still the threat of being caught.  
Beth smiled gently, seeming to read his mind and she left the room without making him feel like he was disappointing her.  
Max collecting himself and decided to put some finishing touches on the room. He was about to tape some targets to the far wall when Rick walked in, like a spectre of death drawn to the moment between Beth and Max.  
“Rick” said Max in greeting.  
“Thought I would come check out the progress” Rick explained.  
He actually sounded sincere but Max didn’t relax and stayed alert.   
“Yeah were pretty much done in here, going to start training Beth tomorrow” Max said.  
A concerned look crossed Ricks face at the mention of Beth’s name and Max guessed the moment he had been anticipating was about to go down. The two men were weapon less and Max would have to go hand to hand if Rick decided to try anything.   
“Listen about Beth, I have to ask for her sake, there is nothing going on with you two is there?” he asked.  
Like I’m was going to admit it to you Max thought. He decided to play it cool and bluff his way out of the situation.  
“Nah of course not mate” he replied calmly.  
“You sure?, I’ve seen how you are together” Rick pressed.  
“You’re fucking kidding right, Rick she’s just a girl” Max said, sounding disgusted.  
Rick raised an eyebrow and Max decided to now go on the offensive, a tactic he hoped would convince Rick to back off.  
“You think I touch young girls Rick” Max asked angrily and stepped towards him.  
Rick was surprised at his enraged tone, taking a step backwards and Max gathered Rick wasn’t expecting to be challenged so aggressively.   
“No no not at all, look, I just needed to know if anything was happening” he said calmly.  
“Well now you know, haven’t touched her Rick, it’s not like that” Max spat out.  
“Ok I believe you” Rick said.  
“So we good here then Rick, something else you want to accuse me of” Max asked.  
“All right Max just relax” Rick said calmly, holding up his hands.   
“I am relaxed Rick, just don’t like to be accused of shit” Max replied.  
“Yeah ok, look maybe I read the whole situation wrong” Rick admitted.  
Rick held out his hand, Max’s little performance had seemed to have convinced him and Max accepted the handshake.  
Rick left the room without any more drama and Max let out a breath once he was alone. Max hoped he had got Rick off his back for the time being and with the potential threat neutralised, he could relax somewhat.  
He kept to himself for the rest of the day and headed into the mess when it was time for dinner. Beth wasn’t there yet and he saw Maggie at her table and sat down across from her.  
“You ok?” she asked.  
“Yeah I had a run in with Rick today” he explained.  
“Something we need to be concerned about?” she asked.  
Max quickly told her what had happened and she listened intently.  
“So he was satisfied?” she answered.  
“Yeah I think I sold it” Max replied.  
Max expected Maggie to be more concerned by she just smiled.   
“Well you’re in the clear then” she said.  
Max wasn’t so convinced but couldn’t help but be uplifted by Maggie’s optimism and smiled as well.  
“What are you two smiling about?” asked Beth as she walked over to them.  
“Nothing” Max and Maggie said together.  
“Oh ok, keep your secrets then” Beth pouted as she sat down.  
“I’ll tell you later on ok” Max promised her quietly and she nodded in understanding.  
The room began to fill up and dinner was served. As Beth handed him a fork Max noticed her nails were a brilliant pink.   
Beth saw him looking at her hand and smiled. Max wanted to compliment her on the colour but didn’t want to draw attention. Hershel soon noticed her nails as well though.  
“Did you paint your nails Beth?” Hershel asked.   
“Oh um yeah” she mumbled.  
“Where did you find nail polish?” he asked.  
Max shifted uncomfortably in his seat and Beth flashed a look in his direction. Max wasn’t sure how Beth was going to answer the question but then Maggie spoke up.  
“I found some on the last run” she said and Hershel nodded.  
“Well your nails look nice Bethie” he said warmly.  
“Thank you daddy”   
Max relaxed, the table went about eating and Beth gave his hand her usual supportive squeeze under the table.  
As she did, Max flashed a look to Rick’s table but the man was deep in conversation with Michonne and Carl as he fed Judith and didn’t seemed concerned about anything else.  
Dinner was finished off and Max stacked their empty plates and handed them to Bob and the others on the wash crew. As he sat back down, the table was suddenly surrounded by the eager faces of the children.   
“Hey guys” he said as they all looked at him with bright smiles.  
“Hey Max” said Mika.  
“Something I can help you with?” he asked.  
“Yeah, um we heard you are training Maggie now and we were wondering if we could join you tomorrow as well?” Mika asked.  
Max just looked at them and caught the amused smiles everyone else at the table was giving him, even others in the room turned to listen in on the conversation.  
“Hmm I don’t know, are you up for it?” he asked.  
“Yeah of course” said Lizzie and the others nodded enthusiastically.   
They all looked so excited and Max would crush them if he said no, he wouldn’t train them to fight but there was no harm in them getting a little exercise and it would allow him to convince Rick and any others there was nothing going on between him and Beth.   
“Well ok but you gotta get your parents permission first” he said.  
The children all looked at him excitedly and ran to their respective parents. They all returned with permission and Max promised they would start bright and early.  
“That was sweet of you” Maggie said laughing as the kids all raced back to their tables.  
Max could only smile in response, he turned to Beth to see if was ok with it and she gave him a bright smile.  
The room soon began to empty as people headed off to bed, Hershel turned in and Maggie stood up saying she was ready for bed as well, dragging Glenn with her.   
“I guess we better turn in, got a big day tomorrow” Beth said with a smile.  
“Hmm I guess we do” Max agreed.  
They walked into the cell block together and as he paused by her cell to say goodnight, she pulled him inside.  
“Beth” he pleaded.  
“Shh just kiss me” she whispered.  
He knew it was risky after everything that had happened that day but he found himself kissing her anyway. It was quick and then she pushed him away, smiling teasingly up at him.  
“I’ll see you in the morning Max” she said.  
“Yes you will” he promised.  
He stepped out of her cell, thankfully no one was in sight and he ducked into his cell where he fell into a much needed and restful sleep.


	54. Chapter 54

Beth moaned as Max as kissed his way down her neck and her naked body.  
“Oh Max” she whimpered.  
She trembled with delight as he ran his hand up her thigh and began to caresses her waiting pussy.  
“So wet Beth” he growled, his voice delighting her more.  
Beth felt his fingers begin to probe inside her and let out anther loud moan, not caring who heard.  
“Like this Beth?” he asked and she could only nod in answer.  
“Then cum for me miss Greene” he said.  
His words pounded through her head and before she could comply, she suddenly she found herself tangled in her bedsheets all alone. Beth huffed in frustration as she realised it had all been a dream and was now wide awake and all worked up.  
Morning would be a little while off and if she was going to get back to sleep, she would have to take care of her little situation. She quickly pulled off her sleepwear and sighed as the cool night air caressed her naked body. Beth ached for Max’s touch but would have to settle for her own and began rubbing her fingers across her already wet pussy.  
Her dream had gotten her more than excited and it wouldn’t take much to get off. She worked her hand furiously and forced herself not to moan as the pleasure built up.  
Beth quickly reached her peak and shoved her face into her pillow as her climax crested through her. She lay panting as her orgasm ebbed away and pulled her hand reluctantly from her legs, letting out a soft giggle.  
Beth didn’t bother redressing and just pulled her sheet over her. As she drifted happily back to sleep, she promised herself her next orgasm would be from Max.  
She woke again to the sun streaming into her cell, signalling another hot day. She yawned and stretched, letting the sheet fall off her. Beth laughed as she realised she was still naked and quickly got dressed before heading into the mess for breakfast.  
As Beth entered the room she smiled as she saw all the kids waiting, looking excited and eager for the day.  
“Morning Beth” called Mika.  
“Morning everyone, are we ready for today?” Beth asked.  
They all nodded excitedly and Beth smiled at their enthusiasm.  
“Well good, its going to be fun” she promised.  
Beth left them to their breakfast and and joined Maggie at her table.  
“Sleep well?” Maggie asked as Beth sat next to her.  
“Yeah really good” Beth replied with a smile  
“No midnight meetings?” Maggie asked teasingly.  
Beth blushed as she remembered her dream and really wished it had been a real midnight meeting.  
“No unfortunate not” Beth then replied seriously and sighed.  
Maggie didn’t say anything, just gave her a sympathetic smile and got up to make them both some breakfast. They ate their food and as they were both finishing up, Max entered the mess dressed in his army camo pants and a tight green shirt, looking every part the soldier he was.  
Beth sighed again, very attracted to the look and wished she could just grab him and take him back to her cell where she could make her dream a reality.  
“Morning everyone” he announced.  
“Morning” the children all said together  
“All right ,have we all had breakfast?” he asked and they all nodded.  
“Very well then, everybody outside” he ordered.  
Beth, Maggie and the children followed him outside into the courtyard.  
“Ok everybody line up” he barked.  
The children quickly jumped to form a straight line while Beth and Maggie just watched laughing as Max began to pace up and down like a general inspecting his troops  
“Waiting for an personal invitation ladies?” he asked them.  
Beth and Maggie looked at each other and then joined the line.  
“So you want to train with me do you?” Max asked, putting on a over the top authoritarian voice.  
No one answered but fits giggles and laughter could be heard from the children and Beth found his whole act just as hilarious, which is what she gathered Max was going for.  
“This is no laughing matter and I’ll ask you again, do you want to train with me?” he asked and everybody shouted yes.  
“Yes what?” he asked.  
The children all looked at each other confused by the question as Max waited expectantly for an answer.  
“Yes sir” shouted Beth, trying her best not to laugh.  
“Outstanding miss Greene, gold star, now this won’t be some sunday picnic ladies and gentleman, oh no I expect the best if you wish to train with me, is that clear?” he said.  
“Yes sir!” everyone shouted this time.  
“Excellent, well let’s start with some stretches” he suggested.  
The group all began stretching as Max continued pacing until he was satisfied they were all ready.  
“All right nice job guys, now give me a lap around the field” he ordered.  
The kids all took off running, Beth and Maggie didn’t move and just watched them.  
“Something wrong with your legs ladies” Max growled, giving them a grin.  
Beth was going to make him pay for it later but she and Maggie took off and soon made it to the front of the pack. They completed the lap and caught their breath as Max look on proudly before instructing them to begin some sit ups.  
They all dropped to the ground and began to do sit ups like he asked. Beth took it seriously but the children were were struggling and started laughing.  
“Ok guys nice start, looks like we need to work on those, all right how bout some push ups” he suggested.  
The kids all complied but struggled even harder at them and Beth couldn’t help but laugh as they collapsed to the ground, refusing to do any more.  
“What’s this?, giving up all ready?” Max asked.  
“Come on guys, show him you won’t give up” urged Beth.  
The children tried again, Max dropped his gruff act and began to give them all helpful advice.  
“Good Lizzie, use those arms, see yeah there we go” he said as she paused by her.  
Beth smiled at him as he continued down the line giving them all tips.  
“Nice form there Beth” he said, with a little smirk when he reached her and she blushed at the compliment.  
“Ok guys good work, lets take a break” Max suggested.  
The children all rested gratefully but didn’t seem tired out and looked ready for more.  
“What else are we going to do Max?” Mika asked, confirming what Beth had thought.  
“Can you do a chin up?” he asked in reply and Mika shook her head.  
“That’s ok, let’s try one anyway” he said.  
They all stood up and lined up under the bar he and Beth had been using in their sessions and Max lifted them up one by one to attempted a chin up.  
The children all failed, each of them dropping to the ground in frustration and Max assured they would all get better.  
When they all had a go, Max looked at Beth and Maggie and they just shook their heads.  
“Nope, you know I can’t do them either” Beth said.  
“And I’m not going to embarrass myself” offered Maggie.  
Max laughed, so did everyone else and he suggested they run another lap. This time he joined them, quickly running ahead with everyone chasing after him.  
Beth and Maggie managed to get along side him and he sprinted harder leaving them all behind. Beth chased after him until he stopped back at the courtyard and she doubled over, out of breath  
“You ok?” he asked, concerned.  
Her breath was still ragged but she smiled and nodded. Maggie and the children ran up and sat on the ground all out of breath as well and Carol appeared with a large jug of water and some cups. She began to hand out the water and everyone accepted one appreciatively.  
“Did we have fun kids?” she asked as they gulped down their water and they nodded.  
“Well good that’s good to hear but unfortunately it’s time for your other lessons” announced Carol.  
The kids all grumbled a little but all thanked Max and began following Carol inside.  
“This was really fun Max, same time tomorrow?” Mika asked, pausing to ask her question.  
“Of course” Max promised.  
Mika smiled happily and ran after the others, leaving him, Beth and Maggie alone. Beth kinda wished Maggie would go as well but she knew Maggie wanted to learn some self defence and Beth would get Max to herself later anyway.  
“Ok ladies shall we begin?” he asked.  
They spent the next hour practising under Max’s tutelage and Beth managed to get Maggie on the ground several times which impressed both Max and Maggie greatly.  
They were soon both exhausted and the three of them decided to call it a day, headed inside for lunch.  
“Well hello you three, how did the training go?” her father asked as they sat at his table.  
“Real good daddy” Beth answered.  
“Well excellent and Max, you’ll be starting Beth’s weapon training today as well?” he asked.  
“Yes after lunch” Max replied.  
Beth grew excited again, not just because of the next step in her training but that she would be hopefully be all alone with Max.  
Lunch was a quick affair and Beth soon followed Max to the armoury. She had been worried someone would ask to join them, perhaps Maggie or worse Rick but no one did and the two of them had the room to themselves.  
Beth took in the completed room from the targets set up on the far wall to the table separating most of the room that had her pistol and several boxes of ammo.  
“Ready to start?” Max asked as he closed the door behind him.  
Beth nodded and he handed her a pair of ear muffs. She put them on, fitting snugly on her head and over her ears  
“Fit ok?” he asked.  
“What?” she said jokingly.  
“You trying to be funny miss Greene?” he asked with a smile  
“Can’t let you just be the funny one today” she replied.  
“I guess not” he grinned.  
Beth giggled and Max handed her pistol to her. She took it and loaded the full clip he then handed to her and looked at him.  
“Ready when you are” he said.  
She nodded, pulled back the slide to load the first round and flipped off the safety just like Max had taught her. She waited until Max had placed his own pair of earmuffs on, aimed the pistol and pulled the trigger.  
The pistol bucked in her hand and the bullet hit the wall, missing the target she had aimed for. Beth knew she wasn’t going to be great but she still felt a little disappointed. She gave Max an embarrassed look but Max just smiled.  
“Hmm good start, place your feet a little further apart, aim a bit higher and just squeeze the trigger lightly, don’t pull” he instructed.  
She aimed like he said, squeezed the trigger and the bullet hit the target just slightly inside the outer ring .  
“Not bad, not bad at all” remarked Max.  
“Really?” she asked, unsure of her self.  
“Of course, people are rarely natural, it takes practice” he replied.  
“Were you a natural?” she asked.  
“Me?, nah not even close, I was terrible when I first began in basic training but I picked it up quickly” Max answered.  
“So are you saying I could get as good as you?” she asked teasingly.  
“With practice you might” he replied.  
“Well I guess we’ll have to practice everyday then” she said smiling.  
“I guess we will” he replied.  
“Well then, how bout you show me how good I can get” she suggested, handing him the pistol.  
Max took the pistol from her and fired off a quick succession of shots, everyone one hitting the bullseye.  
Beth looked at him in awe, there was no way she was going to get as that good, he had years of experience but she was going try regardless.  
She continued her shooting, getting used to how the pistol operated and Max said she would get better which increased her confidence.  
Beth was now in an extremely good mood and really wanted him to kiss her or do something more to her. She placed her pistol down, careful to flip the safety on and hoisted her self up into the table, smiling seductively at him as she spread her legs and beckoned him closer.  
“I think you might need to kiss me now Max” she suggested.  
Beth looked at with all the innocence she could muster but Max didn’t move and a pained look appeared on his face and she felt her heart sink.  
“Beth we can’t” he said gently.  
“Why?” she asked.  
“Beth, I want to, I really do but we need still need to be careful, more than ever now” he replied.  
“So what are we going to do Max?” she asked.  
“I think need to dial our affections back during the day" he explained.  
“Ok” said.  
Beth didn’t really like the idea, but he if still wanted to be with her then she would make that sacrifice.  
“So we just keep pretending we are friends during the day and at night….?” she asked.  
“Well at night is when we have our fun” he answered.  
Beth giggled and her face lit up, that part of the plan sounded perfect and she couldn’t wait.  
“Hmm sounds good” she said.  
“Yeah?” he asked.  
“Really good” she replied and the both laughed.  
Beth tried to practice her shooting some more but she was too excited to focus and her shots kept missing. Max just seemed amused and suggested they call it and pick it up the next day.  
Beth agreed and they made their way to the armoury to return her pistol and the remaining ammo. Max began to stow their gear away, promising to catch up with her later and Beth decided to take a shower.  
When she had showered and changed, she was walking to her cell and saw Carl with Judith in his arms.  
“Hey Beth” Carl greeted her.  
“Hey Carl, how is she today?” Beth asked and tickled Judith’s stomach.  
“She’s ok, a bit fussy though” Carl replied, looking a little tired.  
“Did you want me to watch her?” Beth asked.  
“Um yeah sure I actually need to help my dad” he replied.  
Beth took Judith from Carl and he went to search for Rick. Judith cooed happily in Beth’s arm and she just laughed at the little Grimes.  
Beth watched Judith in her cell while she relaxed and wrote an entry in her diary, smiling to herself as she wrote down her morning dream in vivid detail.  
It when it grew dark, Beth carried Judith into the mess as everyone gathered for dinner. She deposited Judith in Ricks lap and joined Max and her family at their table.  
Beth sat next to Max as usual and smiled brightly at everyone. Dinner was served and conversation was flowing at the table and around the room but Beth was barely listening to what everyone was saying.  
She felt Max press something into her lap and realised it was a scrap of paper. She quickly unfolded it to read the words: library, after dinner. Beth scrunched up the note and nodded quickly before anyone noticed but she caught a smile from Maggie and blushed.  
When dinner was finished was cleared away, Beth couldn’t hold in her excitement so she excused herself and made her way up to the library to wait.  
The moonlit room was empty, people rarely used the library at night and she hoped it stayed that way. Beth didn’t have to wait long and heard footsteps, turning to see Max enter the room.  
He walked over to her and pulled her into a deep kiss that left her breathless and wanting more.  
“Mmm that was nice” she giggled.  
“Been waiting to do that all day” he said.  
“Me too” she said back.  
Beth quickly pulled him to one of the couches where she straddled him and began to kiss him hungrily. She sighed happily as moved his mouth her neck and felt his hands roam across her body. His hands burned against her skin and she felt herself begin to dampen.  
Max began to slid his hand up her stomach, inching towards her breasts but she stopped him, she had another idea  
“Do you want to see them again?” she asked and he nodded  
She carefully unbutton her blouse while he watched and let it hang open to reveal her naked breasts. Max smiled lustfully, reaching out to cup one of them and Beth moaned softly as her nipples hardened under his touch.  
“Oh Max” she whispered.  
“So beautiful” he said softly as he continued to caress her breasts.  
“You really do like them don’t you” Beth asked.  
“I do Beth, I really do” he replied and Beth smiled lovingly at him.  
Beth could tell Max was as now just as turned on as she was, feeling his erection pressing into her. She rubbed her crotch over it, eliciting a groan and she smiled in delight.  
“Want me to take of this for you Max?” she asked.  
Before he could answer, she slid back on his knees so she could undo his pants and free his cock. Beth giggled as it sprang free and wrapped her hand gently around it.  
“Fuck Beth” Max hissed and closed his eyes.  
Beth was amazed how hard and soft it was at the same time and began to stroke her hand up and down his thick shaft.  
“Mmm so big Max” she whispered.  
“Yeah?” he asked with a grin.  
“Oh yes” she replied.  
Beth didn’t really have anything to compare to, she had only seen pictures on the internet during sleepovers when she was back in school but she didn’t need those to know he was big and once again wondered how he was going to feel inside her.  
“Fuck that feels good Beth” Max moaned.  
Beth just grinned and gripped her hand a little tighter around his cock as he lay back and watched her work.  
Beth locked eyes with him as she stroked him and soon felt his cock twitch in her hand. He let out another groan and cum ruptured from his tip, hitting her chest.  
“Shit sorry Beth” he said.  
Beth didn’t mind one bit and wiped the cum off with a handkerchief pulled from her pocket.  
“Wow Beth that was great” Max said as he tucked himself back into his pants.  
“Glad you liked it” Beth said  
“Oh hell yes I did and now I’m going to return the favour” he grinned.  
Beth slipped off his lap and lay herself on the couch next to him. There was not a lot of space on the couch but Max lay next to her and began to caress her breasts again.  
It felt really good but it wasn’t where she wanted his hand and placed hers over it to guided it down her body.  
“This what you want?” Max asked as he unzipped her jeans and plunged his hand inside.  
Beth gasped with delight as his fingers slipped into the front of her panties and he began to rub softly.  
“So wet” he murmured and she let out a giggle, remembering he had said that in her dream.  
She was about to tell him about it but he eased his fingers inside her and her mind went blank. She looked up at him lustfully and crushed his lips to hers as he began to work his magic.  
Beth began to tremble as Max slid his fingers inside her, his fingers felt amazing and it wouldn’t be long before he brought her to the edge.  
“Oh Max feels sooo good” she whispered between moans.  
Max increased his speed, twisting his fingers and pressing his thumb against her clit. The pleasure pulsing through her became too much and her orgasm exploded through her.  
Beth smiled and closed her eyes as she basked in her afterglow, letting her breathing return to normal. She felt Max pull his fingers from her and begin to gently kiss her neck.  
“Still with me Beth?” she heard him ask.  
She opened her eyes and grinned at him, pulling his lips back hers and kissed him passionately  
“I’ll take that as a yes” he said and she giggled.  
Beth smiled as Max held her in his arms and sighed blissfully. She felt so happy and not just because Max had just given her an orgasm but because she was so deeply in love with him and it felt so good be be held by him.  
“I love you Max” she blurted out before she could stop herself.  
Beth looked up at him and waited for him to respond, fearing the worst. His face was unreadable for a second then a bright smile spread across it.  
“I love you too Beth” he said.  
“You do?” she asked.  
“Beth you are the best thing that has ever happened to me and I would be crazy not to love you” he replied.  
Beth’s heart sang and if she was happy just before now she was ecstatic.  
“You really mean that?” she asked, feeling her eyes mist up.  
“Yes, I love everything about you” he replied.  
“Oh Max” she cried and kissed him again.  
She settled back into his arms and could have lay there all night but she was going to have to leave at some point.  
“All right I should probably go” she said reluctantly after a while.  
“Ok Beth” he said.  
She gave him a long parting kiss and and longing look before leaving him. She hummed softly as she made her way back to the cell block and couldn’t stop smiling. Max loved her, he was in love with her, he loved her, the words tumbling through her head, making her want to sing.  
She reached her cell without running into anyone and slipped inside. As she sleep took her, it was filled with dreams of Max again but this time they were dreams of a life she could have with him and hoped they would come true…


	55. Chapter 55

Max smiled at Beth as she hit the target once again and felt a little pride. The last couple of days since they had started her weapon training had been a success and Beth had gotten quite adept at using her pistol.  
“I’m getting good at this” she said a little smugly.  
“That you are” Max agreed.  
“Pretty soon I won’t need you at all” she said teasingly, her eyes sparkling.  
“Is that so miss Greene?” Max growled.  
“Yep” she said failing miserably to keep the smile off her face.  
Max just grinned back at her and she let out a little giggle. Beth seemed to enjoy teasing him and Max had to admit he liked being at the blonde’s mercy, only making him love her more.  
Their little plan to hide their relationship had worked well so far, the two of them had managed to get together every night and it turned out there was plenty of private places they could use without being discovered.  
They hadn't had sex yet, Beth hadn't brought it up and Max didn’t want to push her. He wanted their first time together to be special, he didn’t want it to be some quick fuck, pressed up against a wall or even on the couch in the library. But that didn’t mean he didn’t think about it, every time they were together he craved to know what it would feel like to slide his cock into her, to make Beth his completely and hoped the right moment and place would present itself soon.  
“What you thinking about?” Beth asked, pulling him from his thoughts.  
“Nothing” he assured her.  
“Hmm ok” she said.  
They continued on with the training until Bob and Sasha came in to use the room. A majority of the group had begun to use the room regularly, so much that sessions had to be scheduled and now Bob and Sasha were there for theirs.  
Max and Beth left the two to their own training and made their way to the mess for a late afternoon snack. They grabbed a table with their food and were joined by Maggie.  
“Hey guys how was training today?”she asked.  
“Not bad” Beth answered, giving Max a smile.  
They talked happily as they ate their food until Beth excused herself to go take care of Judith.  
Beth had begun minding Judith more, Max thought she might have some apprehension looking after the Grimes girl after everything with Rick but she seemed happy to do it.  
“So how is she really doing?” Maggie asked when Beth had gone.  
“She’s doing great” Max told her.  
“Enough to keep her alive if it comes to it?” she asked.  
Max didn’t answer and averted his gaze.  
“Max?” Maggie pressed and Max looked back to her.  
“Look she is doing great in the range but she’s only been practising on static targets I’m not so sure how she going to fare against moving ones” he explained.  
“So she needs some practical training, is that what you’re saying” Maggie asked.  
“Yeah something like that” Max replied.  
“What do you suggest?” she asked.  
“Not sure, I haven’t given it much thought yet” Max said with a sigh.  
“What if she comes along on the run tomorrow?” Maggie asked and Max looked at her, surprised she of all people would suggest it.  
“You think that’s a good idea?” Max asked.  
He could think of plenty of reasons why Beth shouldn’t go, anything could happen, as it often did and Max couldn’t put her in that kind of danger.  
“It’s a risk yes but like you said she needs to practice what she has learnt and better she do it now than being thrown in the deep end” she explained.  
Max knew she was right, Beth did need the experience and he would sleep better knowing she would be able to take care of herself when the time came.  
“You think your dad will agree?” Max asked.  
“Probably not, but if we both make a solid argument we should be able to convince him” Maggie replied.  
They decided to plead their case to Hershel and found him in his usual spot tending to the garden.  
“Hi daddy” Maggie said as they reached him.  
“Well hello dear, hello Max” he said warmly.  
“Listen daddy we need to talk to you about something” said Maggie.  
“Of course what is it?” he asked, standing up and brushing the dirt off his hands.  
“Listen we were thinking it might a good idea for Beth to join the run tomorrow” Maggie said  
A concerned look crossed the man’s face and Max fully expected him to flat out refuse.  
“Do you think she is ready?” Hershel asked softly, looking at Max.  
“Well there is no way to be completely sure but yeah I think she is ready” Max assured him.  
Hershel nodded but still looked unsure and Max gathered he was going to need more convincing.  
“Look Hershel I know the risk is great but I think it would be beneficial for Beth to come along” Max explained  
“And she’ll be with us the whole time, I won’t let anything happen to her” Maggie promised her father.  
“Well if you two think it’s for the best then she can go but only if Beth agrees” Hershel said  
“Of course” promised Max.  
“And only this one, I don’t want her thinking she is going on regular runs” he added.  
“Yeah no worries” Max agreed.  
Max left Maggie and Hershel in the garden and went to tell Beth the news. He wanted to be the one to tell her, hoping she wouldn’t say no. He found her sitting on her bunk bed with Judith, who was happily playing with a toy duck. Beth was busy painting her nails looking like a normal teenage girl, so innocent and happy.  
“Hey” Beth said as she noticed him standing at her door.  
“Hey” he said in return.  
“What’s up?” she asked, giving him a smile.  
He didn’t enter and just lent against the cell door as began to explain why he was there.  
“Yeah listen Maggie and I think you should come on the run tomorrow” he said.  
Her smile disappeared and she gave him a look of disbelief, surprised by his words.  
“Really?” she asked.  
“Yeah we talked it over and we think you’re ready” he replied.  
“Daddy won’t let me go though” she said sadly  
“I already spoke to your dad and he’s ok with the idea but its up to you if you want to go” he explained.  
“Do you really think I’m ready?” she asked nervously.  
“I wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t think you weren't” he assured and Beth smiled brightly at him.  
“You tell her?” asked a voice and Maggie appeared beside him.  
“Yeah I did” He replied.  
“So what do you think Beth, want to come along tomorrow?” Maggie asked.  
Beth looked from him to Maggie and then nodded.  
“Yeah I want to go” she said firmly.  
Max left Maggie and Beth to talk about the run and went to make sure the Bushmaster and the other run vehicles were fuelled and ready to go for the next day.  
When he finished checking and refuelling the last vehicle it was time for dinner and made his way into the mess. He took his seat next to Beth and the food was soon served.  
“So Max asked you about going on the run tomorrow?” Hershel asked Beth.  
“Yes he did” she replied.  
“And do you want to go?” Hershel asked her.  
“I do” she said firmly.  
“Well all right then” said Hershel.  
Beth gave everyone at the table a bright smile but Max could see the nervousness behind it and he reached under the table and gave her knee a comforting squeeze. She placed her hand over his and squeezed it back, giving him a thankful smile.  
The group finished up their dinner and it was cleared away. People drifted soon off to bed, especially the run crew, wanting a good nights rest and Maggie suggested Beth do the same. Beth gave Max a knowing look, most likely wanting to know if they were going to meet up and he gave her a quick shake of the head. Beth looked disappointed but didn’t make a fuss and retired to her cell. Max soon followed suit and climbed into his bed.  
A few hours later he was woken to the sound of someone creeping into his cell and bolted upright to see the silhouette of Beth.  
“Beth?” he whispered  
“Shh” she whispered back.  
“Beth what are you doing?” he asked as she climbed into the bed next to him.  
“I couldn’t sleep and I wanted to see you” she whispered.  
He knew he should just tell her to go but her body pressed up against his changed his mind.  
“Still nervous about tomorrow?” he asked as she placed her head on his chest.  
“A little” she admitted.  
“You going to be fine Beth”  
“I know, you keep telling me that but I keep thinking the worst” she whispered.  
“Beth I can’t promise nothing will happen but what I can promise is that I’ll be by your side to keep you safe” he assured her.  
Max heard her sigh happily and knew his words had relaxed her considerably. She began to stroke his chest gently and Max really wished he could just let her stay the night but unfortunately he couldn’t.  
“Beth you have to go” he said gently.  
“Do I have to?” she asked.  
“Beth I would love for you to stay but you gotta go ok” he pressed.  
“Ok” she said sadly  
He could hear the disappointment her voice but she got off the bed without any more complaint.  
“I’ll see you in the morning Max” she whispered from the door.  
“Yes you will, bright and early” he whispered back and then she was gone.  
When he woke again it was morning and quickly dressed before gathering his weapons and gear and heading into the mess  
The run crew ate their breakfast and then gathered up their gear to meet round the run vehicles. Max was doing last minute checks on the Bushmaster when Beth walked up, ready to go.  
“All set?” he asked and Beth gave him a nervous smile, nodding,  
“Got your pistol?” he asked.  
“Yep” she said, touching the pistol on her hip.  
“Spare clips?” he asked  
“Right here” she said and showed the pouches holding her extra clips.  
“Excellent and your knife?” he asked.  
Beth patted the the combat knife in its sheath opposite her pistol.  
“Well then looks like you’re all ready to go” Max said with a satisfied smile.  
The others all walked up with their own gear and began to get into the vehicles. Max saw Beth hesitate as she watched everyone get into their chosen vehicles and he opened the passenger door of the Bushmaster.  
“You’re riding shotgun” he said to her.  
A grateful smile appeared on her face and she climbed in. Max closed the door once she was safely inside and was about to climb into the drivers side when Hershel walked up.  
“Bring Beth back to me safely” he asked softly.  
“I will Hershel” Max promised.  
“I know you will Max, I want you to know I trust you with my daughter” Hershel said.  
Max wasn’t sure how to respond but as he tried it come up something Hershel just nodded at him and walked off.  
Max was a little stunned by Hershel words, wondering exactly what the man meant but he couldn’t dwell on them and pushed them to the back of his mind before climbing into the Bushmaster. Max fired up the engine and began following the lead vehicle down towards the gates. He turned to Beth as they waited for the gates to open, she still looked nervous and Max needed to give her the opportunity back out.  
“Last chance Beth” he said.  
“Huh?” she asked.  
“Last chance to if you don’t want to go” he replied.  
“No, I want to go” she assured.  
“Ok good”  
Max smiled at her but as he drove through the opening gates he hoped his decision to bring her along wouldn’t end in disaster…


	56. Chapter 56

Beth was bubbling with nervous energy as the run crew powered down the empty road. She watched the scenery flash by and once again hoped nothing bad would happen.  
She had been extremely surprised when she had found out she would be joining the run, not expecting that her father would have let her go at all but here she was sitting next to Max as they travelled to their destination.  
They were heading to large mall a few hours drive away that Michonne had come across while on her never ending hunt for the governor. She hadn’t explored the mall, needing more people and so now Beth and the others were going to see what it had to offer.  
Beth looked over at Max, who was looking intently through the wind shield as he drove. He must have sensed her gaze and turned to her.  
“All good?” he asked.  
“Yeah” she replied with a smile.  
“How are our passengers?” he asked.  
She looked into the back where Maggie, Glenn, Sasha and Tyreese were sitting. The rest of the run group was split between the other vehicle ahead of them. Maggie gave her a smile which Beth quickly returned.  
“All good” she answered, turning back to Max.  
“Excellent” he said.  
“Is it always this quiet on a run?” Beth asked curiously, noting the lack of conversation.  
“Ehh yeah kinda, everyone just stays focused on the job” he replied.  
It sounded depressing but Beth knew the runs weren’t a fun trip to the store for supplies, every time the run crew left the safety of the prison they were risking their lives.  
“Bit gloomy huh?” Max asked.  
“A little yeah” Beth admitted.  
“Hmm how bout we change that” he suggested.  
He began rummaging through compartments in the dash until he found what he was looking for, pulling out a battered ipod.  
“wanna put some music on?” he asked.  
“Oh um I don’t know” Beth said softly.  
“It’s going to be a long drive and it’ll go quicker with some music” he insisted.  
Beth smiled, convinced and decided music might be nice. It had been ages since she had heard music in any form and took the device from him.  
Max plugged it into the vehicles sound system and she began to scroll through the music playlists, finally settling on one appropriately labelled ‘road trip songs’ and pressed play.  
Tom Cochrane’s ‘Life is a highway’ began to play through the speakers, Beth knew the song well and was one of Maggie favourites. Beth twisted in her seat and looked back again at Maggie and they smiled brightly at each other.  
“Nice choice” Max said.  
“Yeah?” Beth asked.  
“Yeah, it’s a great song” he replied.  
Max began singing badly on purpose and Beth couldn’t help but laugh. She joined in and he stopped his terrible singing to let her sing out the rest of the song.  
The music made the drive better and even though Beth felt a little strange singing out loud to the songs she knew with the others in the vehicle, no one told her to stop and she felt a lot more calmer and optimistic about the day.  
The group reached the mall by late morning and drove through the empty car park to reach the building. Beth stared up at it as Max brought the Bushmaster to a stop and felt a little apprehension creep in again.  
Everyone got out of the vehicles and cautiously looked around for any sign of danger but nothing was alerted to their presence, alive or dead. Beth stepped down from the bushmaster and she was assaulted by a strong breeze and shivered in the cold air.  
“Looks like a storm is brewing” said Max as he handed her a small hiking pack. .  
As she put on the pack and looked where Max was looking, she saw dark clouds on the horizon and was an ominous sight.  
“Looks bad” said Glenn.  
Everyone else also looked in the storms direction and there was a muttering of concern. Beth noticed Rick didn’t seem that fazed by the storm and as he saw her looking at him, Beth got a strong impression he was more bothered by her being on the run. Beth began to feel a little uncomfortable under his gaze but met it, not wanting to give him any reason or satisfaction to doubt her.  
Maggie then came up beside her and Rick looked way, clearing his throat to get the groups attention.  
“Ok everyone, lets find a way inside” he suggested.  
They walked up to the main entrance and Beth looked up at a large tattered banner hanging over it with the words ‘Grand opening this saturday’.  
“Guess that never happened” Beth said quietly.  
“Guess not” Max agreed.  
The main doors were locked tight behind steel security shutters and with no way to get through them, the group had to find another way in.  
They made their way down the side of the building, finding every entrance locked with same shutters and continued searching until came to a large loading dock. The large roller shutters that were used to receive deliveries were were secured as well but Daryl pointed out a normal door next to the loading dock.  
It too was locked tight but after a short search, Tyreese found a crow bar in one of the abandoned trucks and he and Rick wrenched open the door. They entered and found themselves in darkness. Beth didn’t have a flash light so she stayed close to Max, who had one attached to his rifle and placed her hand on his arm so she wouldn’t stumble over anything.  
Max and the others played their flash light beams around, revealing a small break room that had most likely been used by the people who worked the loading dock. They passed through the room and out onto the dock.  
Beth’s eyes adjusted to the darkness and saw the dock was filled with boxes of goods. The group looked at the boxes but found nothing of real use and they moved on.  
Daryl and Bob found a corridor leading to the main part of the mall and the group followed it until they came out onto the ground floor of the mall and back into sunlight, which was streaming down from the large glass roof above.  
The group paused as they all looked around the empty mall. It was pristine and untouched, with all the stores ready and waiting to open their doors and receive customers.  
“It doesn’t look like anyone has been here” said Beth.  
“That maybe so but keep alert” said Rick curtly.  
They fanned out and began peering into windows and up at the other floor. It was all a little surreal to Beth as she looked in the windows of the stores, with all their wares out on display and wondered if there would be a day when the mall would ever be used again.  
The group continued exploring until they reached a set of escalators and Rick decided to split the group up to cover more ground.  
“Ok Beth you come with me and Daryl, Bob and Michonne, we’ll take the bottom floor and the rest take the second floor”Rick suggested.  
Beth flashed a look at Max and Maggie, she didn’t want to speak up but she didn’t want to be away from Max and Maggie and she certainly didn’t want to be forced search the mall with Rick.  
“Beth stays with me” said Maggie firmly and Beth gave her a thankful look.  
“Ok fine” Rick said.  
Rick and his half of the group started to explore the ground floor and Beth and the rest began climbing the escalators to the second floor.  
The empty building was eerily silent, the only sound was the sound of their footsteps and Beth felt a shiver run down her spine.  
“You ok?” Max asked.  
She nodded and then gave him a small smile.  
“All good, it’s just kinda creepy in here” she replied.  
“Yeah it is a bit, like the whole place is just waiting for people” Max said.  
“I was thinking that as well” she said.  
As they walked side by side, Beth imagined that they could be like a normal couple, spending an afternoon hanging out and wished she could slip her hand into his.  
They came across a large food court and Max and Beth stood guard while the others searched the food outlets for any thing to scavenge.  
“So what would you go for?” Max asked.  
“Huh?” she asked, confused.  
“If this back in the day before anything had happened, what would you have chosen to eat?” he asked.  
“Oh um depends on what I was in the mood for” she replied.  
“Ok say lets say you and me are hanging out and we are getting lunch” he suggested.  
“Like a date?” she asked teasingly, smiling brightly at him.  
“Like a date” he repeated.  
Beth giggled then blushed and took another look at all the options she could have chosen from.  
“Hmm well then, maybe a burger and a milkshake” she said.  
“Nice” he said, grinning.  
“Yeah?, you don’t think it’s a little cliché?’ she asked.  
“Nah of course not, I love a good burger and milkshake” he replied.  
They both laughed and Beth imagined their fantasy date, eating in a crowded mall and enjoying each others company.  
The image made Beth smile and she sat on one of the tables, beckoning him in and inviting him to kiss her. He grinned at her and leant in to kiss her gently. Beth let out a satisfied sigh and didn’t mind that the spare rifle magazines on his vest were poking her.  
He ran his fingers gently through her hair and Beth wished they could they could do more but the others could return at any time and reluctantly pushed him away.  
Max gave her an understanding look but there was a hunger in his eyes and Beth blushed, imagining what he was thinking. She was about to ask him but heard the sound of footsteps and voices and Maggie and the others returned carrying boxes.  
As they reached Beth and Max, she could see the boxes contained various foods and drinks. Maggie opened one of the boxes and threw Beth a bag of corn chips.  
She open it and grabbed a handful of chips. They were past their use by date but still tasted good and offered the bag to Max. Maggie and the others had found the mother load and they all began tearing into boxes, grabbing packets of food with glee.  
They sat down with their snacks and Glenn handed out cans of soda. Beth opened her can and took a sip. It was warm and flat but she didn’t care and drank the contents happily.  
Everyone else was enjoying their drinks as well and Beth watched Max gulped down his before slamming down the empty can and burping loudly.  
“Eww gross Max” Beth scolded.  
“Sorry, my bad” he said and everyone laughed.  
“This is so good” said Glenn as open a second packet of corn chips.  
Beth giggled, Maggie just gave him a disapproving look and he put the packet down with a bashful look.  
When their little feast was over, they stuffed what they could in their packs before leaving the rest and they continued exploring. As the others walked ahead, Maggie sidled along side Beth, giving her a little smile.  
“So how are things going with Max?” she asked quietly.  
She and Maggie hadn’t talked about Max in a couple of days and now was a good time as any for a sisterly chat.  
“Good, really good” Beth answered smiling happily.  
“Have you two had sex yet?” Maggie asked.  
“Maggie!” said Beth in a hushed voice, throwing a look at Max.  
“What I’m curious, can’t I know about my sister’s love life?” she asked.  
“No, I don’t ask you about yours” Beth replied.  
“Ok fair enough but come on Beth” Maggie pressed.  
Maggie gave her a pleading look and Beth knew Maggie would only wear her down. Beth sighed, glancing at Max once more before answering.  
“No not yet” Beth replied, blushing.  
“He isn’t pressuring you is he?” Maggie asked.  
There was no accusation in her voice, only sisterly concern.  
“No, we are still taking things slow” Beth answered.  
“Do you want to have sex with him?” Maggie asked gently.  
“Yeah, I do” she answered, blushing again.  
The two of them giggled loudly, causing the others to pause and look back at them.  
“What so funny ladies?” Max asked.  
“None of your business” Maggie replied.  
Beth gave him a teasing smile and he turned back to his conversation with Sasha.  
They came across a lingerie store and Maggie, Beth and Sasha all gave each other grins as they peered through the window.  
“What do you say ladies, shall we do some shopping?” Sasha suggested.  
“Well I don’t know about you but I’m all stocked on bras and panties so I think I’m gonna check out that sporting store” said Max, pointing to a store opposite.  
Beth giggled and Maggie and Sasha just snorted, shaking their heads. While he and the guys checked out the sporting store, the girls explored the lingerie store.  
“Bout time I got some new underwear” said Sasha with a smile as they perused the racks.  
“Looking to impress someone Sasha?” Maggie teased.  
Sasha didn’t answer but Beth saw her smile, Beth and Maggie looked at each and laughed.  
“Haha you two, what about you Maggie?, need to spice it up a bit with Glenn” Sasha asked.  
The three of them laughed and continued to look around the store and grabbing appropriate underwear for the rest of the group.  
Beth paused in front of a blue lace and satin baby-doll with matching panties, smiling to herself as she ran her hand over the fabric.  
“You should get it” whispered Maggie, coming up behind her.  
“Oh I don’t know” Beth said, blushing.  
“Max will love it Beth” Maggie assured.  
“Yeah?, you think so?” Beth asked, unsure.  
“Of course” Maggie replied.  
Before Beth could say anything, Maggie took one baby-dolls off the rack and shoved it in Beth’s pack.  
“You two set?” Sasha asked as she came up to them.  
“Yeah” said Beth and Maggie together.  
The three of them then met up with the boys and continued on.  
“Find anything good?” Beth asked Max as they walked side by side.  
“Yeah some hunting knives and some bolts for Daryl” he replied.  
He opened his pack and showed her a bundle of multi coloured crossbow bolts.  
“How bout you, find anything nice?” he asked.  
“Maybe” she teased.  
Max raised his eyebrow in response and she giggled, giving him a bright smile.  
“Oh really?” he questioned.  
“You’ll just have to find out” she teased.  
Max didn’t press her further and Beth just kept giving him playful looks as they walked.  
They suddenly heard footsteps coming from around a corner. Max whipped up his rifle, and held out his hand for them to stop. As the others aimed their weapons, Beth fumbled at her pistol, drawing it from it’s holster.  
With their weapons drawn, Max gave them all a look to get ready. The footsteps got closer and closer and then Rick and the others appeared, finding themselves at gun point.  
“Whoa, don’t shoot” said Rick, holding up his hands.  
The two groups quickly lowered their weapons and smiled at each other  
“How did you guys go?” Rick asked.  
Maggie told him what they had found but thankfully leaving out the stop at the lingerie store. Rick informed them that’s his group had come across a large supermarket, completely untouched.  
The reunited group made their way downstairs to the aforementioned supermarket. There was no light in the store but the others had already gathered every flash light they could find and soon Beth and Max were pushing a shopping cart down an aisle and throwing things into it. They quickly filled it and met everyone else back at the entrance.  
“We can’t take this all back can we?” Beth asked, looking at all overflowing carts.  
“Maybe we can use one of those delivery trucks?” suggested Sasha.  
Everyone agreed and she and Daryl went to see if any of the trucks worked. When they returned they had concerned looks on their faces.  
“What’s wrong?” Rick asked.  
“Well we found keys to one of the trucks and it works but it’s about the storm, it’s just about on us and it looks bad” Sasha replied.  
The group exchanged looks and began to discuss what to do.  
“Ok how bout we take what we got and come back tomorrow” said Rick.  
“It’s bad Rick, I don’t think we should risk it” said Sasha.  
Beth silently agreed with her and from the look on Max’s face, he did too.  
“We have no idea how long the storm will last, we should head back” suggested Rick.  
“It’s gonna get dangerous out there Rick, I think we should wait here till it passes” Max reasoned.  
After some debate the group decided to head back to the prison despite Max’s misgivings and they began to wheel their carts back to the loading dock.  
As they walked back into the main part of the mall, it was dark and everyone looked up to see the glass roof filled with dark clouds. There was a flash of lightning and Beth jumped at the following thunder.  
She gave Max a concerned look, trying her best not to look to rattled. He threw her a reassuring look but saw a hint of anger in his eyes, obviously not liking the idea of driving back in the storm.  
They made their way back to the loading dock and Beth saw that Daryl and Sasha had opened one of the roller shutters and parked the delivery truck up against the dock.  
A fierce wind was blowing into the dock and Beth shivered, wishing she had grabbed a jacket. The group began loading up the truck and Sasha and Tyreese offered to drive it back to the prison.  
By the time they had finished loading, the storm was well and truly upon them and was now raining heavily.  
The group had to run back to the run vehicles and Beth was instantly soaked through. She shivered as the cold water chilled her to the core and climbed quickly into the bushmaster, almost slipping on the footstep.  
Max started up the engine, making sure everyone was seated and took the rear of their little convoy. He still looked angry and Beth heard him muttering curses as he ground through the gears.  
A little down the road, the rain became torrential and they could barely see the road in front of them.  
“This is fucking stupid” said Max angrily as he peered through the window.  
Beth was beginning to loose her calm a bit more and gave Max a frightened look but he was too focused on driving.  
“We’re going to need to find some shelter or stop until this fucking storm passes” said Max.  
“We can’t make back home?” Beth asked, panic evident in her voice  
“No, this storm is getting worse by the minute” he replied.  
“So what are we going to do?” she asked.  
She looked back at Maggie and Glenn and they had the same grave expressions on their faces, agreeing with Max.  
There was no where to stop so they kept driving, following the dim tail lights ahead of them. They entered a forested section of the highway and Beth could see the large trees on the side of the road swaying dangerously in the wind. Beth wondered if the Bushmaster could survive being hit by one of them and adjusted her seatbelt nervously.  
They continued down the road, Beth’s heart began to beat faster as the wind pounded the trees around them and then her fears became a reality.  
One of the swaying trees suddenly crashed heavily to the ground right in front of them, narrowly missing the vehicle in front of them. Beth let out a scream, Max jammed on the brakes and Bushmaster skidded on the wet road, slamming into the fallen tree.  
“Oh my god” yelled Beth, glad she was wearing her seatbelt.  
“Everyone ok?” Max asked, looking around.  
“Yeah we’re ok back here” said Glenn.  
“Beth?” Max asked her.  
“Yeah I’m all right” she said.  
She wasn’t though, she was cold and scared, wanting to be somewhere safe and out of the storm.  
“Ok I’m making the call, we are getting out of this storm now” said Max.  
He threw the Bushmaster into reverse and wrenched it out of the tree before quickly turning the vehicle around and heading back the way they came.  
Beth fretted as they sped down the road, hoping no other trees fell and wrapped her arms around her as she shivered for the umpteenth time.  
Beth then began to worry they wouldn’t find any shelter, thinking they might have to wait out the storm in the Bushmaster but she saw a mailbox on the side of the road and a driveway leading off.  
“Max look” she said, grabbing Max’s arm.  
Max slammed on the brakes and looked where she was pointing.  
“There could be a house” she suggested.  
Max nodded and they began driving up the muddy road until a large farmhouse came into view.  
“Fucking A” said Max and gave her a smile.  
He pulled the bushmaster to a stop in front of the house and they all looked at it.  
“Ok we’ll stay here and meet up with the others when it’s safe” suggested Max.  
Beth couldn’t agree more and they jumped out into the storm. The tiny bit of drying she had gotten was stripped away as the rain soaked her completely again and she ran to the relative safety of the porch.  
“Anyone here?” Max yelled loudly as he banged his rifle against the front door.  
Max and Glenn aimed their weapons and Max tried the handle, finding the door unlocked. The four of them burst into the house and Max slammed the door behind them.  
The house was dark, smelled a little mouldy and made groaning noises as it weathered the storm but it was dry and safe.  
“Ok lets make sure we are not alone” said Max.  
Glenn started to climb the stairs, Maggie headed to the kitchen, Max to the lounge room Beth headed to the dining room.  
She pushed open the door and froze as she saw three walkers in the room. They turned as they noticed her and stumbled towards her. Beth drew her pistol and fired on the first one, hitting it in the temple and dropping it. She fired on the second but she only got it in the throat and it grabbed her, forcing her to the ground.  
Beth screamed as it fell on top of her, it’s teeth snapping at her throat but she didn’t panic and quickly shot it through the head, spraying blood on her face.  
She aimed the pistol at the third walker before it could fall on her too but a shot rang out and it collapsed to the floor. Beth pushed the dead walker she had killed off her and Max rushed up her, his rifle in hand.  
“You ok?” he asked, deep concern in his voice.  
“Yeah I’m all right” she assured him.  
“Not bit?” he asked, brushing his hand across her face.  
“No it didn’t get me, it’s not my blood” she assured him.  
“What happened” asked Maggie as she appeared and saw the dead walkers.  
“Beth found the former inhabitants, took two of them down as well” Max answered.  
“You all right Beth?” Maggie asked.  
Beth just nodded but she was definitely shook up.  
“Let’s get you cleaned up” said Maggie softly.  
They found a bathroom and Beth went in, insisting Maggie stay outside. Beth wiped the blood from her face with a towel and looked at herself in the mirror. She was still trembling, mostly from her wet clothes but also from the adrenaline of the past hour.  
“Beth can I come in?” she heard Max ask though the door.  
She reached for the door handle and let him in. She gave him a weak smile and he returned it.  
“You sure you’re ok?” he asked.  
She nodded and he wrapped her arms around her. She pressed her cheek to his chest, not caring that his shirt was soaking wet as well. He felt so warm despite his wet clothes and she didn’t want to let go  
“Come on lets get you warmed up” he said gently.  
“Ok” she agreed.  
He lead her back to the lounge room and proceeded to light a fire in the fireplace. If Beth wasn’t so cold and exhausted she would have been impressed how quickly and well he made it and promised to tell him later.  
Soon the room was filled with sound of a crackling fire and Beth sighed happily as it began to radiate heat.  
“I found some clothes guys” announced Maggie, coming into the room with an armful of clothes.  
Beth looked at what she had found, choosing a pair sweatpants and a hoddie. She took the clothes back into the bathroom and stripped out of her wet clothes. She towelled off her body and pulled the dry clothes on. They smelt a little musty and she wished she had dry underwear as well but she was happy out of her wet clothes.  
She returned to the lounge room to find the fire now roaring and a freshly changed Max, placing another log on it.  
“Hey” she said.  
“Hey there” he said, giving her a warm smile.  
The front door suddenly flew open and Glenn stumbled back in, carrying their packs in his hands.  
“I got our packs guys” he said loudly as he closed the door again, with a huge grin on his face.  
“My hero, come on big man lets get you changed” said Maggie, laughing.  
“Yes mam” said Glenn.  
The two of them disappeared, Beth flashed Max a look and they both laughed. She walked over to him and sat next to him on the couch.  
“You did well today and not just with those walkers but the whole day” he said, taking her hand.  
“Yeah?” she asked, a little unsure.  
“Of course, you did good today Beth” he replied.  
She was about to lean over and kiss him but stopped and jumped back when she heard voices and Glenn and Maggie returned. Beth gave Max a frustrated look and he gave her a sympathetic one in return.  
Beth couldn’t be mad at him, it wasn’t his fault and she gave him a small smile. Her frustration was with Glenn and wished he wasn’t here with them. It was a horrible thought and Beth felt bad but she just wanted to wrap herself in Max. Beth considered talking to Maggie about telling Glenn but there was no way of knowing how he would react and just pushed the thought away.  
The storm continued to rage outside and Beth was grateful to be safe inside the house but still jumped every time as thunder rocked the house. She pulled her knees up to her chest as she gazed at the fire, fascinated by the dancing shapes the flames made and loved the way the fire warmed her completely.  
Soon night began to fall and with no end in sight for the storm, the four decided to stay the night. Beth felt a little uneasy staying the night in a strange house but she walked upstairs to pick a room.  
It didn’t really matter what room she chose but as she looked in the second one, she had a strange wave of familiarly. It instantly reminded her of her room back on the farm and smiled. She put her pack on the bed and went to look out the window, looking out at the almost pitch black world. Rain pelted against the glass, she saw another bolt of lightning streak across the sky and jumped as the thunder rocked the house.  
Beth jumped again as Max suddenly came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.  
“Max, you scared me” she scolded.  
“Sorry couldn’t resist” he said.  
Beth just smiled at him and let him hold her tightly, looking back out the window.  
“Do you think the others will be ok?” she asked.  
“Yeah they’ll be just fine Beth, I’m sure they would have gotten to some shelter like us” he assured and Beth nodded.  
“You going to sleep here tonight?” he asked, looking at her pack.  
“Yeah, where are you sleeping?” she asked.  
Beth realised what she had just asked and blushed as Max gave her a teasing smile.  
“Haven’t decided yet” he answered  
“Oh?” she asked.  
Max just smiled again and Beth giggled loudly. Her imagination ran wild as she pictured her and Max in the same bed, his lips on hers as he ran his hands over her body and made her his.  
“Beth?” she heard him ask  
She looked up at him to see him staring back at her with a amused smile on her face and she blushed again.  
“W-we um should go see what the others are doing” she stammered.  
“Ok miss Greene lead the way” he said, still amused.  
They walked downstairs and found Glenn and Maggie in the kitchen.  
“Oh hey you two, we should probably think about something for dinner” said Maggie.  
Beth nodded and she and Maggie decided to see what they could rustle up. They scoured the kitchen cupboards and found several tins of chicken noodle soup that were still good. While Maggie poured the soup into a saucepan, Beth lit the gas stove, thankful there was still gas to use.  
As the soup heated up and Beth stirred it, she looked into the lounge room and locked eyes with Max, who smiled back at her. Beth grinned at the man she loved, bit her lip and turned her attention to Maggie, who was cleaning bowls and spoons for them to use.  
“Maggie what was your first time like?” she asked Maggie in a low voice.  
She glanced at the lounge room and she gave Beth a little smile.  
“Been thinking about you and Max have you?” she asked.  
“Yeah” Beth answered, telling what had happened upstairs and Maggie gave her another smile.  
“Well my first time was with Ben Driscoll, remember him?” she asked.  
Of course Beth remembered Ben, he had been one of Maggie’s boyfriends in high school and Beth had liked him the best out of Maggie’s ex boyfriends.  
“It was the night of the senior prom and Ben and I decided to have sex after the dance” Maggie explained.  
“How was it?” Beth asked.  
“It was ok, Ben was sweet but it was awkward for both of us and it didn’t last long” she replied.  
“Oh” Beth said softly and looked down.  
“But that doesn’t mean it will be for you, we both had no idea what we were doing and I’m certain Max doesn’t have that problem” Maggie assured her.  
“No but I won’t know what to expect or do” Beth said.  
Maggie gave her a warm smile and lay her hand softly on Beth’s shoulder.  
“Don’t think too much about it Beth, when it happens, it happens and when it does it’s going to be great” Maggie assured her.  
Her words resonated deeply with Beth and she gave Maggie a bright smile.  
The chicken noodle soup began to boil and Beth dished it out into the bowls while Maggie placed the spoons on the small kitchen table.  
“Dinners up boys” called Maggie.  
Max and Glenn came into the kitchen and sat at the table. Beth passed them each a bowl and then took her seat next to Max.  
“Tastes great” said Max as he ate a spoonful.  
“Oh it was nothing, I opened the cans and poured the soup into a saucepan” said Maggie.  
“And I lit the stove and stirred the soup” said Beth with a giggle  
“Well you’ve outdone yourselves ladies” Max said and they all laughed.  
They were all starving and and quickly smashed down their dinner.  
“Wished we had some dessert” said Beth wistfully as she pushed her empty bowl away.  
“Like some ice cream” suggested Max  
“Mmm yeah or maybe cupcakes” said Beth.  
“Cupcakes?” Max asked.  
“Yeah I really like cupcakes” Beth answered.  
“Oh she does, she used to make them all the time” said Maggie, proudly.  
Beth smiled at Maggie and thought back to the times in the kitchen back on the farm, mixing the cupcake ingredients, watching them bake, smearing the icing on and then being overjoyed when she presented them to the family.  
Max and Glenn offered to clear away everything and then the four of them sat in the lounge room, relaxing in front of the roaring fire.  
Maggie looked under the coffee table and then began to pull boxes from it.  
“Any one up for a board game?” she suggested.  
Beth glanced at Max and he gave her a ‘sure why not?’ look and she turned back to Maggie and nodded.  
They decided on a fun trivial game and set it up on the coffee table. They split up in teams, Beth and Max against Maggie and Glenn. Max and Beth went first and he picked up the first question card.  
“What is the name of Peter Pan’s flying companion?” he asked, reading the card.  
“Oh Tinkerbell” she said quickly.  
“Correct” he said, sounding impressed.  
“Of course you would know that” said Maggie.  
They all looked at her and she gave Beth a smile, causing her to blush.  
“Beth audition for the school play and that play was Peter Pan” Maggie explained.  
“Hey that’s awesome, what part were you going for?” said Max.  
“Tinkerbell” she answered and blushed again as they all laughed good naturedly.  
“Tinkerbell huh?, bet you would have made a great Tinkerbell” said Max.  
Beth gave him a bright smile and desperately wanted to kiss him.  
They continued on with the game, everyone shouting out answers they knew excitedly and one could think it was a normal family game night on a normal night.  
It got late but Beth had no intention of going to bed, she wanted to spend as much time with Max as possible, hopefully alone. She began throwing looks at Maggie and she finally got the hint.  
“Ok babe time for bed” she said to Glenn, patting his knee.  
He grumbled in protest but got to his feet. He looked at Max and Beth like he expected them to turn in as well.  
“Don’t look at me mate, it ain’t my bed time” said Max with a laugh.  
“Come on Mr Rhee” Maggie said, giving him a prod.  
Glenn started to walk off and Maggie followed him, pausing to smile at the two of them.  
“Well goodnight guys” she said  
“Goodnight” said Beth, trying her best to keep the excitement out of her voice.  
Maggie gave Beth one last longing look and walked off after Glenn. Beth and Max stared at each other as they waited for what felt like forever to make sure Maggie and Glenn were safely upstairs.  
“Come here miss Greene” Max growled.  
Beth practically flung herself into him and crushed her lips to his, letting out a satisfied moan.  
“I thought they would never leave” Beth whispered.  
Max smiled and kissed her gently, running his hands through her hair. There was no urge to get hot and heavy, both just seemed to want to enjoy each others company first.  
Beth then snuggled into him, he wrapped his arm around her and they both smiled happily at each other before turning their attention to the fire  
“So did you really audition for Tinkerbell?” he asked her.  
“Yeah I really did” she replied.  
“Why Tinkerbell?” he asked.  
“I liked the idea of playing a fairy” she replied.  
“Well I think you would have made a cute fairy” he said.  
Beth smiled, the comment was a little cheesy but coming from Max it sounded so sweet.  
“So fairy or mermaid?” he then asked.  
“Huh?” she asked, confused.  
“I know you like mermaids and now I know you like fairies, so what would you chose to be?” he asked.  
“Oh um if I really had to choose, probably mermaid” she answered.  
“Yeah?, swimming away in the ocean” he said.  
“Yeah just like Ariel” she agreed with a giggle  
“Well Ariel did have it going on, being a princess and with that sexy red hair and that shell bikini of hers” he said.  
“Yeah, you liked her shell bikini?” she asked teasingly.  
“Yeah I did and I think you would look really good in a shell bikini as well” he said with a smile.  
“Yeah you think so?, well you did offer to take me to the beach, so maybe you just might one day ” she said.  
He smiled at her and she saw his eyes wander over her chest and wondered if he was imagining her clad in a shell bikini like Ariel’s. Beth noticed the lust in his eyes and she felt the same, she wanted him, and to give herself to him.  
She bit her lip and looked him directly in the eyes and took a deep breath as the question she wanted to ask formed in her head.  
“Max um do you want to sleep in my room tonight, with me I mean?” she asked, trying not to sound so nervous.  
The question hung in the air and Beth studied his face as she waited for his answer.  
“Are you sure?” he asked softly.  
“Yes Max, will you make love to me tonight?” she answered firmly.  
Max gave her a warm smile and cupped her face gently, brushing his thumb across her cheek.  
“Yes Beth I will make love to you” he promised.  
Beth felt herself blush and she stared into his eyes, seeing nothing but love there and knew deep in her heart she was making the right decision.  
“Do you want go upstairs then?” she asked with a nervous smile and he nodded  
“I just need to check if everything is secure, you go and I’ll be right up” he said gently.  
Beth nodded, she gave him another nervous look then made her way quickly up the stairs and into the bedroom. She lit some candles and smiled as the room became bathed in their warm romantic light, setting the mood.  
Beth quickly stripped off her borrowed clothes and then pulled the baby-doll and panties from her pack, slipping them on her body. Beth examined herself in the mirror as she let her hair down, satisfied with how she looked and hoped Max would like it too.  
A little spark of fear rose in her as she realised she was about to lose her virginity and her heart began racing but she calmed herself, yes she was about to lose her virginity but she was giving it to a man she loved, who loved her back.  
She took another deep breath and then smiled with delight as she heard Max knock softly on the door..


	57. Chapter 57

Max never would have guessed the day unfolding the way it did when they had set out that morning. He had been quite impressed with how Beth handled everything, the mall, the storm fiasco and even more so when she had taken down the two walkers.  
Max had been more than annoyed with Rick’s decision to drive back through the storm and was going to make sure Rick got an earful when he saw the man next. He would have been far more annoyed if they hadn’t come across the farmhouse. The Bushmaster would have provided adequate protection but the farmhouse had been great for moral and the four of them actually had a pleasant evening despite the storm outside. So pleasant in fact that now Max and Beth were about to take that next step in their relationship…  
The storm was still raging as Max checked all the doors and windows were locked and secure. He highly doubted anyone alive or dead would come across the house but he was going to make sure they would be safe regardless.  
Once he was certain all the doors were secure and made sure the dwindling fire wouldn’t burn the house down during the night, he began to climb the stairs to the room Beth had chosen. His knocked softly and heard Beth say to come in.  
As he stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. He saw Beth was standing by the bed, lighting a candle and the sight of her took his breath away.  
She was wearing a little blue satin and lace lingerie dress, her hair was cascading down over her shoulders and she looked simply stunning.  
“Wow” was all he could say.  
Beth turned to face him and he saw her blush in the candle light and give him a little smile.  
“Yeah?, you like it?” she asked, uncertainty nervousness in her voice.  
“You look amazing Beth” he assured her.  
A brighter smile filled her face, she giggled softly and then did a little spin before turning back to face him.  
Time seemed to slow down as they stared at each other until another thunder clap shook the house and they both laughed as the spell was broken.  
“Well are going to stand over there all night?” she asked.  
Max grinned and walked over to the bed, laying his rifle against the bed frame before unsnapping his gun belt, placing it and his pistol on the bedside table  
Beth slid onto the bed and gave him a seductive look, patting the mattress beside her. She looked so innocent and sexy at the same time but that slight nervousness was still evident on her face and Max had to make sure she was really ready for this.  
“Beth I need to know if you really want this” he asked softly.  
Beth gave him a smile and took his hand in hers, pulling him down next to her.  
“Yes Max I want this, I really do” she assured him.  
“Well all right then” he said with a smile and she giggled.  
Max knew has going to need to be careful and have to take things slow, this wasn’t something to be rushed, this was her night and it was all about her.  
Max lay her gently back on the bed and began to kiss her softly. Beth kissed him back and moaned as he pushed his tongue into her mouth. Their kissing heated up and Beth tugged at his shirt, trying her best to pull it off him.  
He broke away and quickly ripped his shirt off. Beth’s eyes sparkled as she ran her hand over his bare chest, tracing her fingers down one of his scars.  
“You’re going to have to tell me how you got some of these” she said.  
“Well I’m afraid how I got some of these is still highly classified” he said with a grin.  
“Oh really?” she asked teasingly.  
“Yeah, but I guess I can make an exception” he said.  
Beth giggled and continued to run her hand down his stomach and paused as she reached his pants. She looked up at him innocently and bit her lip, needing to urged on.  
“Go ahead Beth” he said.  
She unzipped him and smiled with delight as his cock sprang free. Beth pulled his pants off and Max groaned as she wrapped her fingers around him. He looked at her with lust as she held his hardening manhood and she gazed back at him.  
“Do you want me suck you Max?” she asked softly.  
Her eyes were wide and nervous and as much as Max wanted to feel Beth’s lips wrapped around his cock, he didn’t think she knew exactly what she was offering.  
“Not tonight Beth” he said.  
“but I want to make you feel good” she said.  
“Beth trust me, you’re making me feel good, we don’t need to do that tonight” he assured her.  
Her expression was a mixture of relived and disappointment but then she smiled.  
“So you’ll teach me how to suck you?” she asked and Max chuckled.  
“Will I teach you how to suck my cock?, yeah I think we can manage that” he replied.  
Beth giggled loudly, liking the idea and then pulled him back down on the bed so she could kiss him.  
Their kissing heated up again as they became lost in the moment and Max ran his hands over her body.  
Beth moaned softly in his ear as he began to kiss her neck and took one of his hands and placed it on her breast. Max palmed it and rubbed her nipple through the slippery material of her dress.  
“Oh Max” she whispered.  
She looked so fucking good in the dress but it had to come off. He took the hem in his fingers and gently slid the dress up her body. Beth lifted her arms and let him pull it off completely.  
Beth smiled up at him as she lay in just her little panties and he gazed lustfully at her soft small breasts. Before she could say anything, he lowered his head and took one of them in his mouth, running his tongue around her nipple.  
“Mm that feels nice” she said.  
As he hungrily sucked on her nipple, she put her hand on the back of his head and stroked it through his hair. He switched his attention to her other breast and she let out another soft moan from her lips.  
“Like this?” he asked.  
“Oh yes Max I like it all so much” she replied.  
He could have suckled her breasts all night but there were other more important areas that needed his attention. He drifted his hand down her stomach to rub the front of her drenched panties and she let out a moan. She smiled lustfully at him and then spread her legs further.  
“Take them off” she whispered.  
Max didn’t wait to be asked again, he hooked his fingers into the waistband of her panties and gently eased down her thighs and past her ankles.  
A completely naked Beth now lay before him and he took a moment to drink in the sight as she opened her thighs wider, displaying her beautiful perfect pussy for him. It glisten with her juices and begged to be tended to with his fingers and tongue.  
“So beautiful” he whispered in awe.  
“Touch me Max, please I need you to touch me” she begged.  
Max chuckled and brushed his thumb gently across her dripping mound. He spread her with his fingers and revealed her bright pink insides. He needed to taste her and lowered his head between her thighs  
“What are you doing?” she asked.  
“Trust me, you’ll like this” he assured.  
Max put his mouth on her pussy and she jumped, letting out a gasp.  
“Oh my god” she whimpered.  
Max began to lick gently over her slick folds, she tasted divine and Max was going to go down on her every chance he got. He looked up at her and she was watching him, her eyes wide. He grinned and continued to lap, sliding his tongue inside her.  
Beth lay her head back, she put one hand on his head, the other gripped the sheets beside her and she began to moan softly.  
“Oh Max, oh yes, please don’t stop” she whispered.  
“Told ya you’ll enjoy this” Max said with a chuckle.  
“Mmm yes oh soo good” she moaned.  
Max continued his oral assault, lapping up the juices flowing from her and was spurred on by the sounds she was making.  
She was getting closer and closer to her first orgasm of the night and focused on her clit to bring her off more quickly.  
It did the trick, her legs clamped around his head, her body arched up and her orgasm crashed through her. Beth fell back to the bed and Max pried his head from her thighs.  
“Oh wow Max that was amazing” she said with awe as she lay panting.  
“Glad you liked it” he said with a grin as he loomed over her again.  
“Liked it? oh god I loved it” she said.  
She grabbed him, pulled him down towards her and kissed his mouth hungrily, licking at her juices on his chin.  
As they kissed, Max felt her hand travel down and he hissed as she wrapped it around his cock. She smiled with delight when he groaned as she squeezed it gently.  
Her hand on him again felt amazing but he need more, he needed to be inside her. He looked at her and she nodded, wanting the same thing.  
“I’m ready Max” she said.  
Max knew he wasn’t going to get a better invitation than that. He better positioned himself and pressed his cock against her. He gently rubbed his shaft across her wet entrance, ensuring it was coated in her juices and eased slightly inside.  
“Ow” she whimpered and Max felt her tense up.  
“Sorry Beth this may hurt a little but I promise it will pass” he said.  
Beth looked at him with wide eyes and nodded for him to continue. He thrust into her and she let out a sharp gasp and her eyes misted with tears.  
Max hated to cause her any pain and lent down to kiss her softly as he slid his hand down and rubbed his thumb on her clit to ease her discomfort. It soothed her considerably, her face and body relaxed and he eased further in.  
Beth let out a little whimper as her teen pussy stretched to accommodate him, she had the tightest pussy he had ever had the pleasure of being inside of and Max groaned as it began to grip his cock.  
“Oh Max you feel so big inside me” she whispered.  
Max could only smile, he was only about three quarters in and gently eased the last of his length inside her. He paused as he bottomed and let her get use to him.  
“You ok Beth?” he asked.  
Her eyes were still wide and misty but she nodded, urging him on. Max eased her legs wider and began to move with slow, shallow thrusts, paying close attention to her responses.  
Beth’s little whimpers soon turned to soft moans of pleasure and he knew the pain was gone.  
“Good now?” he asked.  
“Oh yes oh it feels so strange, I feel so full and so good all at the same time” she replied.  
Max just grinned at her as she looked up at him with a mixture of love and lust and Max almost couldn’t believe he was making love to the beautiful teenager. She ran her hands over his chest and he started to thrust harder and deeper. Beth moaned loudly and dug her fingernails into his side as she took his entire length. Max barely noticed, far more focused on the pleasure.  
“Oh Max oh you feel so good inside me” Beth moaned.  
“You’re so fuckin tight Beth” he grunted.  
Her pussy was like a wet velvet vice and Max groaned as it clench around him . He wasn’t going to last much longer, the pleasure of fucking this goddess was almost too much but he was going to make sure she came before he did. He began to fuck her with swift strong strokes and Beth’s body responded accordingly, bucking her hips in time as he thrust deeply into her.  
Beth’s moans began to get louder, her breaths became more rapid, she had her eyes closed and Max could sense she was getting close.  
“Oh god, oh yes oh don’t stop oh I’m going to cum Max ” she moaned loudly.  
Max could feel his own familiar build up and knew he was reaching his limit as well.  
“Fuck, me too” he said.  
Max knew he should pull out, a pregnant Beth wasn’t exactly an option but he couldn’t bring himself to, wanting nothing more than to finish inside her.  
“Oh god Max oh oh yes oh I’m cumming” she shouted, her body shaking as her biggest orgasm yet rocked through her. Max groaned just as loud as her gushing pussy spasmed around him and he exploded, flooding her to the brim.  
He collapsed against her as they rode out their respective climaxes. Beth kissed his neck and stroked his back as they held each other.  
“I’m yours now Max” she whispered happily.  
“Yes you are” Max agreed, giving her a soft kiss.  
They lay together, not moving, just staring into each others eyes before Max reluctantly slipped his drooping cock from her, watching his cum spill from her now deflowered pussy.  
“Sorry I probably shouldn’t have done that” he said, now remorseful.  
“It’s all right Max. I wanted you to ” she replied.  
“Yeah?” he asked.  
“Yeah, it felt really nice” she replied and giggled.  
Max laughed as well and kissed her before rolling off her and laying on the bed beside her.  
“Oh my god I can’t believe we just had sex” she said.  
“Believe it Beth” he assured.  
She gave a little giggle and was suddenly back to her normal shy innocent self.  
“Was I ok?” she asked, nervous concern in her voice.  
“Huh?” Max replied, not understanding the question and she blushed, averting her eyes  
“you know, was I um, good?” she asked.  
“Oh god Beth you were amazing” he assured her.  
“You really mean that?” she asked.  
“Of course I do Beth” he assured.  
Her face relaxed and was filled with a bright smile.  
“So you’ll want to do this again?” she asked, running her fingers across his chest.  
“Oh I think we’ll be doing this a lot miss Greene” he replied with a chuckle.  
“Mmm can’t wait” she said happily and giggled again.  
They lay naked on the bed as they gazed happily at each other and just listened in silence to the rain pelting against the window. Max had almost forgotten about the storm outside and didn’t want to be anywhere else in the world but lying next to Beth.  
Sleep beckoned both of them and Max heard Beth yawn and then she snuggled into him, pressing her warm body tightly against him.  
“I love you so much Max” she whispered happily.  
“I love you too Beth Greene” he said back, giving her a kiss.  
He pulled one of the discarded sheets over them, gave her one last kiss goodnight and and they soon both drifted off in each others arms.  
Max woke to sunlight streaming through the cracks in the curtains, the storm had past some time in the night and now all was calm. He pulled the sheet covering them and took a moment to gaze at the still naked teen beauty sleeping at his side.  
His eyes wandered over her body, enthralled by the way the warm morning sun made her skin and hair seem to glow. He shifted his arm to brush some hair from her face and her eyes fluttered open.  
“Morning” she said, smiling and made no attempt to cover up.  
“Morning” Max replied.  
“Enjoying the view?” she asked, giggling  
“Can you blame me?” he growled giving her a soft kiss.  
“I guess not” she replied with another giggle.  
They lay staring at each other with their fingers entwined, neither wanted to move but they heard a loud cough and they suddenly both realised the precarious situation they were in.  
They leapt of the bed and quickly got dressed, Beth couldn’t help laughing at him as Max danced around putting his boots on.  
They crept down the stairs and were relieved to find Maggie and Glenn hadn’t got up yet. Max’s stomach grumbled and Beth giggled as she heard it.  
“Hungry?” she asked teasingly.  
“A little yeah, might need some breakfast” he suggested.  
“Hmm thought you skipped breakfast” she teased.  
“Well after what we did last night I’ve got a bit of an appetite” he said with a grin and Beth giggled again.  
They then heard Maggie and Glenn’s voices and footsteps on the stairs, soon appearing in the kitchen.  
“Morning” said Beth brightly.  
“Morning, sleep ok?” Maggie asked with an amused smile, her eyes shifting between Max and Beth.  
“Yeah not bad” said Max causally and Beth nodded.  
“How bout you?” Beth asked.  
“Good, despite the storm and it was amazing to sleep in a proper bed again” Maggie answered.  
Max couldn’t have agreed more and it was far more amazing to share a proper bed with a beautiful teenage girl.  
The girls checked on the clothes they had left in front of the fire, finding them now dry and they all changed back into their own clothes  
“What have we got for breakfast?” Glenn asked when they met back at the kitchen.  
“Not sure all we have is what we got from the food court” said Maggie.  
“Junk food for breakfast?” said Beth, making a face.  
“Fraid so” replied Maggie.  
After a very unhealthily breakfast, the four of them ventured outside. Huge puddles of water covered the yard and there was debris and rubbish strewn everywhere.  
“We should probably try and find the others and head back” suggested Glenn.  
They all agreed and Max and Glenn walked over to check the Bushmaster for any damage. Max could see nothing wrong but as he walked to the front of the vehicle he saw branch was lodged in the front grill of the Bushmaster from when they had crashed into the tree.  
“What do you think they’re talking about?” Glenn asked curiously, looking back at Beth and Maggie.  
Max looked over to where they were were sitting on the pouch, deep in conversation with bright smiles on their faces. He knew exactly what the Greene sisters were talking about but he wasn’t about to let Glenn in on the secret.  
“No idea mate, give us a hand with this branch” replied Max, deflecting the question.  
Max was concerned it had pierced the radiator but after he and Glenn pulled the branch out, there was no damage done.  
“Ok looks like are good to go” said Max.  
“All right we should get going” suggested Glenn.  
The four of them headed back inside to collect their things and they were then on the road and heading back to the prison, hoping they would find the others along the way.  
They soon came to the fallen tree from the night before and used the Bushmasters winch to pull it back far enough to drive around it. Several more downed trees across the road along the way caused them some delay, having to stop each time to move them.  
As they came around a bend in the road, Max spotted yet another tree fallen ahead but this one had crushed a vehicle.  
“Oh my god Max” said Beth.  
It was the delivery truck Tyreese and Sasha had commandeered from the mall and was now stopped in the middle of the road with a fallen tree smashed through it.  
Max stopped, they all got out and ran up to the truck. The vehicle was empty and the tree had missed the cab by a foot, severing the truck almost in half.  
“You think they are alright?” Beth asked worriedly.  
Both doors were open and Max couldn’t see any signs of blood so he guessed Tyreese and Sasha had gotten out alive.  
“I’d say they are fine” he assured Beth.  
They salvaged what they could from the truck and continued on, finding no other evidence of the other half of the group.  
Beth seemed a little tense as they drove on, probably wondering what had happened to the others and Max knew he needed to ease her mind.  
He pulled out the ipod again and waved it suggestively in front of Beth. Her face lit up and she took it from him. Beth looked through the music like the day before but instead of choosing something she passed the ipod back to him.  
“You put something on” she said.  
“Yeah?” he asked.  
“Yes I wanna know what you like to listen to” she said.  
“Ok and what if I like Russian folk music or K-pop?” Max asked jokingly.  
Beth rolled her eyes and and shook her head before laughing.  
“I’m being serious Max” she pleaded.  
Max took the ipod from her and while keeping one eye on the road, he began looking through the music.  
It wasn’t his ipod so he wasn’t exactly sure was on it, except for the songs they had listen to the day before. It had belonged to one of his team mates back at the embassy and had the same taste in music as he did. He scrolled through the music and he chose a band he thought she might know and like. He pressed play and Beth eyes and face lit up as Snow Patrol’s ‘Just say yes’ began to play.  
“Oh I love this song” she said, giving him a smile.  
She began to sing, looking over at him with pure joy on her face and Max couldn’t help but smile at her as the lyrics spilled from her in her beautiful voice.  
The song ended sooner than Max would have liked and he scrambled to choose another. He couldn’t keep finding single songs so he decided on a playlist of assorted hits from the decades.  
The Eagles ‘Hotel California’ came on first and Max smiled. It was a favourite of his and knew all of the words but that didn’t mean he was going to sing them just yet.  
He looked over at Beth, she didn’t look like she knew the song but seemed to enjoy it.  
“Do you know the words Max?” Beth asked, teasingly.  
Max turned to her and realised he must have been mouthing the words and chuckled.  
“Maybe” he replied.  
“Sing” she said.  
“Maybe next time” he promised, hoping she wouldn’t ask him again.  
Beth seemed a little disappointed but she smiled brightly at him and let the song play out.  
They continued to listen to the playlist as they drove down the road, thankfully empty of any obstacles or threats and Max found himself glancing longer and longer at Beth.  
The songs she knew and liked brought new life to Max as he watched her close her eyes and either hum or sang along to the music and Max couldn’t help but be hopelessly in love with her.  
Max knew their relationship had changed now, sex always did and he would have to figure out how best to go forward when they got back to the prison.  
Being with Beth now and in that farmhouse, being separated from the rest of the group and away from the prison was like being in a bubble and when they returned that bubble would burst.  
He knew he was going to need to tell Hershel about the relationship sooner now despite what the man would do. It wasn’t that he wanted to have sex with Beth again it was more than that, he didn’t want to hide any more and he didn’t want Beth to have to either.  
“Max?” said Beth, pulling from his thoughts.  
He tuned to see her looking at him with concern.  
“You alright?” she asked.  
“Yeah I’m good” lied.  
“Ok” she said.  
He wished he could tell her what he was thinking but with Glenn in the vehicle that was impossible and would have to discuss it with her later and pushed it all to the back of his mind.  
They found no evidence of the other half of the group as the drove on which either meant they had taken other route or they stayed on course and had made it back safely.  
They reached familiar territory and Max knew they were close to the prison. He looked at Beth and she had a concerned look on her face. She was no longer enjoying the music and Max tuned it down slightly. She looked at him as he did and gave him a little smile but it was a nervous one and Max wondered what she was thinking.  
The prison soon came into view and as the drove through the main gates, they surveyed the damage the storm had wrecked on their home.  
It had done a number on the prison, parts of perimeter fence was bent at a slight angle, not enough to cause any immediate danger but enough that it would have to be repaired. The outside cooking area’s roof had been demolished and Hershel’s garden was almost destroyed.  
Max parked the Bushmaster and as they stepped down they were greeted by Hershel and several others and to Max and the others relief, Rick and Tyreese.  
“Well there you all are, we were beginning to worry” said Hershel as Beth and Maggie rushed into his arms.  
Drawn by the sound of Max and his groups arrival, the other half of the run group came out into the courtyard. They all looked exhausted but gave warm smiles.  
“Was wondering where you four got to” said Michonne, giving Maggie a hug.  
“Yeah almost got hit by a tree, so we turned around and found a house to ride out the storm” said Maggie.  
Rick then explained what happened to him and the others, after Tyreese and Sasha had almost been crushed, the group took shelter in a roadside gas station, forced to spend the night trapped in the building and had travelled back to the prison in the early morning.  
Max felt an anger grow in him as Rick talked, even though everyone had survived the night and the storm, they shouldn’t have been put in the situation in the first place.  
Rick must have noticed and gave him a sheepish look and pulled Max aside to talk privately.  
“Look you were right yesterday, we shouldn’t have gone out in the storm” he said softly.  
“Damm straight we shouldn’t have, you could have gotten everyone killed Rick” said Max curtly.  
Rick raised an eyebrow at Max’s tone, probably expecting his apology to make up for his mistake but Max wasn’t going to forgive so easily.  
“Ok I so made a bad decision” said Rick admittedly.  
“No Rick you made a colossally bad decision” Max growled.  
A scowl crossed Rick face and Max saw his jaw clench. The others now drawn by the heating argument stepped closer.  
“Ok guys let’s just cool it” said Maggie gently stepping between the two men.  
Max and Rick glowered at each other, Max wanted to tear Rick a new one but he saw Beth’s frightened face and calmed down. He wasn’t done with Rick but for the good of the group, he held out his hand. Rick reluctantly took it and the two of them shook.  
“So we good?” Maggie asked, sounding like a teacher scolding two schoolboys.  
“Yeah we’re good” said Max and Rick nodded.  
“Good” said Maggie.  
Rick walked off and the rest of the crowded drifted off away, leaving Max, Hershel and Beth together.  
“So how about you tell me all about your run” said Hershel to Beth.  
Max saw Beth blush and her eyes darted to him before she turned back to her father.  
“Oh nothing special happened” said Beth, sounding guilty  
“Well I want to know everything, you two Max” said Hershel  
At that moment Max wanted to be anywhere else but he followed Hershel and Beth inside.  
As they sat in the mess Beth told her father what had happened, the mall, the storm and the farmhouse. Max saw Hershel’s face light up when Beth described the house and gathered it must have been similar to the Greene household. His face darkened though when Beth told him of the walkers but was impressed she had taken out two of them by herself.  
Beth skilfully left out the most important parts of the story for obvious reasons. Hershel didn’t seem to detect his daughter was lying to him and just seemed grateful his daughters had gotten back safely.  
“Well sounds like you had an eventful run” he said.  
“Yeah you could say that” Max said in return and they laughed.  
Beth and Hershel began talking about the similarities of the farmhouse and Max wished he could have seen where Beth had grown up. Max then heard Beth’s stomach grumble and she glanced at him and blushed, both remembering the moment in the kitchen that morning.  
“Hungry” Max asked.  
“Yeah a little” she admitted.  
Beth got up to find them some food and Hershel gave Max a warm smile.  
“Thank you for keeping your promise Max” he said gently.  
Max felt his face heat up but he managed to keep his composure and gave the man a humble look.  
“Well it wasn’t all me, Glenn and Maggie were there as well” Max said.  
“You know what I mean Max, you kept Beth safe and brought her back to me” Hershel said.  
“Just doing what anybody here would do” Max said softly.  
“That maybe true but I know you have never failed to protect her Max and I’m glad to have a man like you in my daughters life, any father would be” Hershel said warmly.  
Hershel's words cut him to the core and Max just stared at him as he tried to decipher his words. Did he mean as friends or did he mean more?, was there a blessing there or was the man just grateful?.  
Max wanted to tell him everything then and there, he wanted to tell him he was in love with his daughter and would protect Beth for the rest of his life. The words formed in his mind, he wanted to say them but had to stop himself, it just wasn’t the time.  
Max saw Hershel raise an eyebrow and Max knew he was going to need to say something soon but was saved but Beth returning with two bowls of food.  
“I didn’t know if you were hungry daddy, but I can make you something if you like” she said as she sat down.  
“No I’m ok, I just ate and besides with Glenn back we must have council meeting to discuss repairs”  
“Ok daddy” said Beth.  
Hershel stood up and clasped Max shoulder gently before he left. Beth smiled at Max and he managed to smile back. His head was in a turmoil but he didn’t want Beth to catch on and for the second time that day, pushed the problem to the back of his mind.  
“Food ok?” Beth asked.  
She had opened some tinned fruit, a simple meal but it was far more satisfying than the breakfast of corn chips that they had that morning.  
“Yeah perfect” he said, giving her a smile.  
They then heard the a sound of laughing and Max and Beth turned to see the children came into the mess. Carol was with them and smiled when she saw Max and Beth.  
“Oh hey you guys are back” exclaimed Mika.  
She rushed up to them with an excited expression on her face.  
“Hey Mika” said Beth  
“Did you guys get caught in the storm as well?, it was crazy here I thought we were going to blow away” said Mika excitedly.  
Max and Beth and looked at each other with amused smiles and Mika launched into an energised story of what happen during the storm at the prison.  
“Wow Mika sounds scary” said Beth.  
“Yeah it was, were you out in the storm?” Mika asked.  
“No we found a house” Beth replied.  
“Oh good” said Mika, sounding relived.  
“Mika don’t bother them, let them be” ordered Carol from across the room.  
“Ok Carol, sorry guys” said Mika, now bashful.  
“It’s all right Mika, go now, we’ll talk later” Beth promised.  
The girl smiled happily and went to join the others. Max and Beth finished off their food and cleared away their bowls and utensils.  
“So what now?” she asked.  
There was the subtlest hint of a teasing smile on her lips and look of hopefulness on her face. He knew exactly what she wanted to do and so did he but Hershel's words pounded through his head and knew they couldn’t.  
“Ahh how bout we bring in the stuff we salvaged from the truck” he suggested.  
She looked disappointed with his answer but then an understanding look replaced it and they walked outside to the Bushmaster.  
Bob and Tyreese looking over the damage outside offered to help and the soon had all the saved food stored the mess.  
Max knew Beth wanted to spend the rest of the day with him and was about to suggest they spend a few hours in the firing range when Karen appeared. It was Beth’s group to cook dinner that night and Karen wanted to get started early.  
While Beth helped Karen with dinner, Max retired to his cell. As he lay on his bunk he imagined what would be like with Beth beside him and wondered if that day would ever happen.  
The rest of the afternoon went quickly and as night fell, Max returned to the mess for dinner. Beth and the dinner crew served up and then took her seat beside Max.  
She pressed her leg up against his and held it there, smiling brightly at him when he glanced at her. He knew it was risky especially in her fathers company but he slipped his hand down and caressed up and down her thigh. No one noticed what he was doing and Beth revealed nothing, expect to squeak a little as he fingers brushed up against her crotch.  
Max reluctantly pulled his hand from between her thigh and continued eating dinner like nothing had happened, joining in the conversations.  
Dinner was cleared away and everyone began to retire to bed, wanting a better nights sleep after the night before. Beth still had her leg up against his and flashed him a little smile. Max thought he may have sent the wrong idea during dinner but Beth stood up and excused herself.  
“Goodnight everyone” she said to the table  
“Goodnight Bethie” said Hershel.  
Beth flashed Max one last look and headed off to her cell. Max soon followed, excusing himself as well.  
He sat down on his bunk and was about to pull off his boots when Beth quickly ducked into his cell.  
“Geeze Beth” said Max surprised but happy to see her.  
“Shh” she whispered.  
“Beth you..” he began  
“I know I’m not staying I just needed to kiss you goodnight” she explained, cutting him off.  
She leant down, cupped his face and placed a soft kiss on his lips. Max wanted to grab her and spend another night together but that would have to wait.  
“Good night Max I’ll be thinking about you in my bunk” she said teasingly and Max almost groaned as he realised what she meant.  
Before he could respond, she giggled softly and was gone. Max smiled to himself as he lay back in his bunk and knew the coming days were going to be very interesting…


	58. Chapter 58

Beth grinned to herself as she woke and was filled with an excited happiness. She wanted to seek Max out as soon as possible and spend the entire day with him.  
She felt different now, somehow older now that she had lost her virginity and smiled again as the night in the farmhouse played through her head. Beth had already written everything down in vivid detail in her diary but she was never going to forget the best night of her life and wondered when she and Max would have sex again, hoping it would be soon  
It was going to be a hot day so she slipped on a tank top that showed a hint of midriff and a small pair of shorts, which would keep her cool but also show off her legs.  
She walked into the mess and smiled happily when she saw Max sitting by himself. She fixed herself some breakfast and joined him, smiling good morning to the others in the room.  
“Morning ” she said to Max as she sat down, flashing him a bright smile.  
“Morning Tinkerbell” he said teasingly.  
Beth giggled, giving him another another smile and wondered if that was his new nickname for her now. She slid herself closer to him, pressing her leg against his and hoped he would touch her again like he had the night before.  
“Get a good sleep?” she asked.  
“Yeah pretty good actually, how bout you?” he replied.  
“Yeah real good” she answered.  
She flashed him another teasing smile and tapped her knee against his leg suggestively. Max got the hint and slipped his hand down, placing it on her bare leg. Beth bit her lip and almost moaned as he gave her thigh a quick squeeze.  
“So did you think of me last night?’ he asked softly.  
Beth blushed, quickly looking around before nodding and his grin got bigger. Beth smiled back at him and wanted tell him exactly how she had ‘thought’ of him the night before.  
“So what are we going to do today?” she asked, keeping things causal.  
A brief teasing smile flashed across his face and she mirrored it.  
“Hmm not sure, how bout we’ll continue on with your training?” he suggested.  
“What kind of training?” Beth asked, innocently.  
Max just grinned at her and she giggled loudly. Several people in the room looked over at them, she blushed again and looked down at her bowl. She looked up again to see her father walk in and gave him a smile as made his way to the table.  
“Morning daddy” Beth said to him as he sat down.  
“Well good morning you two” he said warmly.  
Beth reluctantly slid away from Max and hoped her father wouldn’t notice. He didn’t seem to sense anything and began to eat his breakfast. Maggie and Glenn soon joined the table and Beth smiled happily at Maggie as they sat down.  
“So what are we doing today daddy?” Maggie asked, between bites of food.  
“We need to begin repairs to the prison as soon as possible, everybody is going to need to help” replied their father.  
Beth’s mood damped slightly, she had hoped to get some time with Max but the prison would have to come first.  
“What needs to be done daddy?” she asked.  
“We need to fix the fence, repair the garden, clear all the rubbish and rebuild the outdoor kitchen” he replied.  
“No worries, what to you want to start on first?” Max asked.  
“Well we should get the fence repaired first, Rick has offered to start on that, why don’t you help him?” Hershel suggested.  
Beth sensed Max tense up at the mention of Ricks name and then Maggie whispered something in their fathers ear. Beth picked up the words ‘Max’, ‘Rick’ and ‘tension’, guessing Maggie was referring to what had happen the day before and Beth wondered if things between Max and Rick might escalate.  
“Hmm yes ok ahh Max how good are you with a hammer?” her father then asked.  
“Yeah pretty good, I’ve hammered a few nails in my lifetime” Max answered.  
“Good, then would you be able to fix the outdoor kitchen?” he suggested.  
“No worries” said Max.  
“What about me daddy?” Beth asked, wanting a job and hoped he would suggest she help Max.  
“Why don’t you help Maggie and I in the garden?” he replied.  
Beth was admittedly disappointed with the answer but nodded. They all finished off their breakfast and headed outside to attend to their newly assigned duties. Beth gave Max a fleeting look and then followed Maggie and their father to the garden.  
They passed Michonne and Karen who were leading Flame out into the field to graze. The horse looked a little skittish but seemed happy to be outside.  
“How is he today?” Hershel asked as he stoked the horse’s nose.  
“He’s still recovering from the storm but I’ll think he’s going to be just fine” Karen answered.  
Beth patted Flame’s flank and smiled when he let out a loud snort. She considered taking him for a ride, even if it was just round the field and filed that thought away for another time.  
Maggie and Beth and their father continued to the garden and surveyed the damage done by the storm.  
“Wow it’s a mess” said Beth.  
“Yeah we have some work to do” agreed her father.  
He instructed them where to start first and they got to work. They were soon joined by several others including Karen, who took a spot beside Beth and Maggie, giving them a warm smile.  
Beth grinned back, realising she hadn’t talked to the woman in a while and probably wanted to know what was happening between her and Max.  
“So ladies how are we today?” asked Karen as they worked.  
“Yeah really good” Beth answered.  
They continued on with their work and Beth looked over to where Max was working. He was carrying a tool box to the demolished remains of the outdoor kitchen and Beth paused to watch him. He, Glenn, Tyreese and some others had already cleared away the broken timber and were beginning the rebuild of the roof.  
Beth bit her lip and sighed softly as she watched Max, wishing she could walk over to watch him up close.  
“Careful Beth you’re staring” said a voice in her ear, making her jump.  
She turned to see Maggie smirking at her and she blushed.  
“Was I that obvious?” she asked softly.  
Maggie laughed and Beth just stared at her.  
“What’s so funny you two?” Karen asked.  
Maggie gave her a look, obviously not wanting to reveal their little secret but Beth explained to her that Karen knew and was the first person she had confided in. Maggie looked a little hurt but Beth knew Maggie understood why she hadn’t came to her first.  
“So how are things between you two then?” Karen asked quietly.  
“Things are great” Beth replied smiling.  
“Oh?” Karen asked, interestedly.  
Beth looked over at her father who was busy at the opposite end of the garden, glanced at Maggie then back at Karen.  
“Max and I had sex” she said and Karen’s smiled widened even further.  
“While you were on the run?” she asked and Beth nodded.  
“So how was it?” Karen asked.  
Beth blushed and looked down at the ground, she had already spoken to Maggie about the night but only in very little detail.  
“It was good” Beth finally replied.  
“Oh come Beth, you can tell us” pressed Maggie.  
“All right, it was amazing” Beth admitted.  
The smiles on the two older women only got bigger and Beth blushed again.  
“Ok, now you have to tell us everything” Karen urged.  
So she did, Beth told them everything that had happened that night and the two women listened to every word.  
“Damm I wished I had lost my virginity to him” said Karen when Beth had finished.  
They all giggled loudly and caught the attention of Hershel, who came over.  
“What are we talking about over here ladies?” he asked.  
Beth’s face burned red under her fathers gaze, unable to come up with a quick enough lie but Maggie came to the rescue.  
“Just ladies talk daddy” explained Maggie.  
He just smiled, shook his head and the three girls laughed. He walked off and they got back to their work but Beth’s attention keep wavering over in Max’s direction.  
“Go help them, we got it handled here” said Maggie, noticing Beth’s distracted look.  
“What about daddy?” Beth asked, throwing a look at him.  
“He won’t mind, go” Maggie replied.  
Beth smiled her thanks, got up and quickly walked over to Max and the others. As she reached them, Max was hammering in nails into a beam as Glenn held it steady.  
“Need some help?” she asked.  
The others looked at her briefly then quickly dismissed her but Max smiled warmly.  
“Yeah sure, wanna hand me those nails?” Max asked, pointing to a box on the ground.  
Beth nodded and quickly retrieved the box. She began handing him nails and he quickly hammered them in with speed and precision.  
“You do know how to use a hammer” Beth remarked, impressed.  
“Well I wasn’t always on battlefields and fighting, sometimes, especially when I was in the regular army, we were sent in to help countries rebuild after wars and natural disasters so I’ve spent a lot of time rebuilding houses, schools and hospitals” he explained.  
Beth smiled at the heart warming tale, picturing him helping people in need and was yet another reason to love him. She then began to imagine him shirtless as he worked alongside his fellow soldiers and it sent tingles through her.  
“Beth?” Max asked.  
She blinked and saw Max grinning at her, holding out his hand for another nail. Beth blushed, embarrassed and fumbled for nail but only managed to drop the box to the ground, spilling nails everywhere.  
“Sorry” she stammered, kneeling to pick them up.  
“Hey it’s ok they’re only nails” he assured her.  
She still felt embarrassed but he just grinned at her. They both reached for the same nail, their hands touched and Beth just wanted to kiss him and have him run his hands over her body. They picked up all the nails and Max finished off the beam he had been working on.  
“Wanna go?” he then asked, holding out the hammer.  
“Oh I don’t think I should” she said.  
“Why?, can’t be worse than Glenn over here” he said.  
“Hey I was a pizza delivery driver, I never learnt to use a hammer” retorted Glenn.  
“What?, not even in woodwork class?” Max asked with a laugh.  
“Nah I kinda cut that class I lot” Glenn replied with a grin.  
“Yeah it shows” said Max.  
Beth couldn’t help giggling and then decided she would have go with the hammer. She took the tool from Max and gave him a grin  
“So I’m probably going to be terrible, so you’re going to have to teach me” she said innocently but teased him with smile.  
“Don’t worry miss Greene, it’s child play” he assured.  
He picked up a nail, pressed it into the wood and stood back. Beth stepped up to the beam, raised the hammer and then tried her best to hit the nail. She hit it but only bent it.  
Beth let out a frustrated noise and then gave Max an embarrassed look, who had was trying his best not to laugh.  
“Don’t laugh” she said warned, pretending to threaten him with the hammer.  
The smile didn’t leave his face and held his hands up in surrender.  
“I wouldn’t dare laugh at you Beth” he said.  
“Good” she said, grinning at him.  
“Want some pointers?” he asked.  
Beth nodded and stepped up behind her, wrapping his arm around her. He took her wrist in his hand and Beth let out an involuntary squeak. She managed to compose herself and Max showed her how to use the hammer correctly.  
To anyone watching it would have looked like he was doing just that, innocent enough. But not to Beth, her pulse quickened and tingles began running through body. Her face flushed and she began to feel herself dampen.  
Max then stepped away from her and she instantly missed the sensation of his body against hers but it did make it easier to concentrate.  
She began hammering in the nails Max placed and squealed happily when she managed to get them all in.  
“Damm girl, you’ll be building whole houses in no time” said Max, impressed.  
“Hmm maybe” she said beaming at him.  
Max grinned back and the tingles returned, she bit her lip and once again just wished she could wrap herself in those strong arms of his and kiss him till cows came home.  
“So we just going to stand around or we gonna get this roof up?” asked Glenn.  
Beth blushed and she handed the hammer back to Max. He took it with another grin, sliding it into a loop in his belt. Beth stood back and watched the guys as they worked, she wanted to help more but she would only get in the way. She had to admit though she was far more contented to just watch, as the tingles increased through her body.  
The tingles soon reached a point where Beth could no longer ignore them and needed to excuse herself. Beth came up with an excuse saying she wanted to cool off with a shower. The other men didn’t care but Max gave her a little smile and she left.  
Beth grabbed her shower gear and practically ran to the shower room. She found it empty, slipped into the first stall and quickly undressed. She turned the water on and sighed as the water cooled her body.  
The shower helped but the ache between her legs hadn’t dissipated and the craving was still there, a craving that only Max could satisfy.  
Beth dried, redressed and returned her shower things to her cell before leaving to join everyone in the mess for lunch. She bumped into Maggie as she did and her sister gave her a teasing smile.  
“You look a little worked up there little sister” she said.  
“What?, no I’m not ” said Beth quickly, averting her eyes.  
“Hmm ok, sure whatever you say” said Maggie, smiling coyly.  
She didn’t press any further and Beth was thankful. The two sisters headed into the mess and sat down. Everyone was starving and lunch was quickly finished off, with little to no talking done.  
“Back to it then” said Glenn as everything was cleared away.  
They all stood up but Maggie stopped Max before he could leave. He gave her a confused look and she just smiled in return  
“I think maybe Beth should keep up with her training” suggested Maggie.  
Beth threw her a confused look as well but then realised what Maggie was getting at and her excitement grew again. She gave Max a hopeful smile as he still looked confused, his eyes darting from her and Maggie. He must have picked up on what Maggie was really suggesting and then nodded.  
“Ahh yeah we could knock out some weapon training then get back to the repairs” suggested Max, looking at her father.  
Beth glanced at her father and expected him to refuse but he nodded.  
“Yes good idea, Beth should keep up with her training” he agreed.  
Beth almost couldn’t believe what was happening as she watched everyone else head back outside. Her heart was almost pounding out of her chest as she and Max grabbed her pistol, some ammo and headed to the firing range.  
Beth placed her gear down on the table in the room and looked back expectantly at Max as he closed the door. They both just stared at each other, Beth trembled with excitement and they both knew their little plan to curb their affections during the day was about to be shattered.  
Max stepped towards her, grabbing her arm and pulled her into him. He wrapped his arms around her and she let out a sigh as he leant down to kiss her.  
“Oh Max” she whispered, the kiss leaving her breathless.  
“Been waiting to do that all day” he said.  
He kissed her again and Beth felt herself go weak at the knees.  
“Oh god Max me too” she whispered.  
“It was almost torture being around you today, especially with you in these shorts” he said  
“Like the shorts do you?” she asked teasing.  
“Well that but more the legs in the shorts” he replied.  
Beth giggled and smiled up at him teasingly.  
“Just my legs?” she asked.  
“Ok maybe your butt as well” he admitted and Beth giggled again.  
“You like my butt do you Max?” she asked.  
“Well it’s such a cute tight little butt” he said, giving her a grin.  
Beth felt his hand slip down her back and give her backside a squeeze, causing her to gasp.  
“Max” she scolded him, playfully hitting his chest.  
“Sorry couldn’t resist” he said and she could only laugh.  
Max laughed back and she felt his other hand clasp her other butt cheek and she let out a little moan.  
“Like that huh?” he asked.  
She could only nod and looked up to see a mixture of love and lust in his eyes.  
“What else do like?” he asked.  
Before she could answer, he turned her around, wrapping one arm around her chest and placed his other hand against the exposed skin of her stomach. Beth felt her pulse quicken and the maddening tingle between her legs increased.  
“Oh Max” she whispered.  
“This what you like?” he asked, kissing neck and edged his hand towards the waistband of her shorts.  
“Yes Max” she mewled.  
“Tell me what else you like” he ordered.  
She wanted it all but couldn’t find the words and just looked up at him.  
“Tell me what you want Beth” Max whispered in her ear.  
His voice made her body tremble and she bit her lip lustfully.  
“Touch me” she whispered.  
Max didn’t hesitate and quickly slid his hand into her shorts. Beth let out a soft satisfied moan as he slipped into the front of her panties and began to rub her.  
“Fuck Beth, you’re already soaked” he said as his fingers slid across her mound.  
Beth didn’t answer and clasped her hand over his. He eased his fingers inside her and if he hadn’t been holding her she would have collapsed to the floor as her knees really gave out.  
“Oh god Max” she moaned, her voice strained.  
She began to buck hips against the probing fingers in her pussy and felt Max’s other hand slid up under her tank top and palm one of her breasts. He rubbed his fingers over her nipple and Beth’s body arched, a low moan escaping from her lips  
“Oh Max this feels so good, please don’t stop” she begged.  
She felt Max’s mouth on her neck and she completely surrendered to him as he brought her closer and closer to the orgasm she so desperately wanted.  
It didn’t take too long, Max’s fingers in her pussy, the feeling of his erection pressing into her back and his hand on her breasts felt too good. She came hard on his fingers and Max held her tightly as her body trembled. Beth moaned so loudly that Max had to wrap his hand around her mouth to muffle her as her orgasm crested through her.  
“Gotta be quite girl” he warned.  
She nodded and he removed his hand from her mouth and she lay against him panting.  
“Oh god Max I really needed that” she said as he pulled his hand from her legs.  
“You’re telling me, you got pretty vocal there Beth” he said.  
Beth giggled, pulling herself from his arms and looked down at the bulge in his pants. She wondered if it hurt his cock to be restrained like that and reached for his belt to free it.  
“Your turn” she said happily.  
“Yes mam” he said, with no protest.  
Beth giggled, undid his belt and pulled his pants down to reveal his underwear. She ran her hand gently over his cock through the material and smiled when he groaned in pleasure. Beth pulled his underwear down and his erect cock sprang free.  
She wrapped her hand around his shaft, lust filled her again and she wanted to feel him inside her again.  
“I want this inside me Max, I need to feel you inside me again” she said.  
“God Beth I want that too” he whispered.  
Beth giggled and quickly tugged her shorts down over her hips, wiggling them to make her shorts slide down her legs. She quickly pulled her boots off and stepped out of her shorts as they fell around her ankles, standing in her drenched panties.  
Max just gazed lustfully at her and then pulled his pants completely off. He pounced on her and she yelped as he picked up. Beth wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him hungrily, pressing her body into him. Max carried her over to the table behind them and gently set her down on it.  
He quickly reached down and ripped her panties off, throwing them to the floor. Beth spread her legs allowing him access to her wet waiting pussy.  
“Ready?” he asked as he lined himself up.  
“Yes Max put it in me” she pleaded.  
He thrust into her and Beth let out moan as her pussy parted to accept his cock for the second time in her life. He kept sliding in and she just watched as his entire length disappear into her. She almost came just from the feeling of his thick cock filling her but managed to hold it off.  
“Feel good?” he asked pausing to kiss her  
She kissed him back, looking at him with fiery lust and could only nod. He began to move in and out of her slowly and Beth closed her eyes as her pussy gripped his shaft. Beth moaned softly, entranced by the feeling of his cock inside her and was never going to tire of the feeling and planned to experience it a lot.  
“Damm Beth how are you so tight” she heard him whisper as he paused inside her momentarily  
Beth eyes flew back open and she smiled lustfully at him.  
“You like my tight pussy Max?” she asked  
“I love your tight pussy Beth” he growled.  
“Oh god Max that’s so hot and I love your big cock in my tight little pussy” she said.  
“Yeah you like me fucking you Beth?” he asked as he began to move again.  
“Yes Max fuck me,I want you to fuck me” Beth begged.  
Beth almost couldn’t believe the words coming from her mouth and Max just grinned at her, obviously enjoying what she was saying  
“Yes mam” he promised.  
Max picked up the pace, thrusting deeper and harder into her just like she wanted.  
“Oh god oh yes like that” she moaned, gazing up at him.  
Beth’s legs rose up to wrap around his waist and she placed her hands on his shoulders. His hand slipped up her top and pawed at her breast and she pulled the tank top up for better access. Max lent down and began sucking hungrily on her breasts and she ran her fingers through his hair. Beth started to pant as Max continued to fuck her, her pulse raced and she tried to keep her moans down as the pleasure built up inside.  
“Oh Max oh god” she uttered softly.  
“You close?” he asked.  
“Oh yes, so close, don’t stop” she whispered.  
“You going to cum all over my cock Beth?” he growled.  
“Yes Max oh yes, you’re going to make me cum so hard” she replied.  
“Let’s cum together” he suggested.  
The suggestion sent her over the edge and a huge burst of pleasure rippled through her as a massive orgasm rocked her. A loud moan from the depths of her escaped her lips and Max crushed his lips to hers to silence her.  
Beth moaned in Max’s mouth as her orgasm flooded through her and she felt Max’s cock twitch inside her. She fully expected him to finish in her but instead, she felt his cock slide from her and her eyes flew open to see him spill on her thigh.  
Beth smiled happily at him as the warm liquid ran down her thigh and let out a satisfied sigh.  
“That was amazing Max” she said.  
Max grinned at her and kissed her gently.  
“Enjoyed it did you?” he asked  
“Enjoyed it?, oh I think I more than enjoyed it” she replied with a giggle.  
He chuckled and then picked up his pants to put them back on. Beth didn’t want leave and played with the cooling cum on her leg.  
“Do we have to go?” she asked.  
“Want to go again do you?” he asked with a grin.  
Beth giggled, that sounded perfect but they couldn’t risk being discovered, they had already tempted fate. She went to stand up but she stumbled forward.  
“Whoa easy there” Max chuckled as he caught her  
She was absolutely wiped out, her legs felt like jelly and she could barely walk.  
“You going to be ok?” he asked.  
She smiled at him and nodded, leaning back on the table for support. She was going to need a bit to recover and Max retrieved her panties to wipe the cum off her leg.  
Max then grabbed her boots and shorts and held them out for her. She giggled, holding onto him for support and stepping into them. He slid her shorts up her legs and the gave her stomach a little kiss before standing up.  
“Good to go?” he asked, slipping her ruined panties into her pocket.  
Beth nodded and they grabbed their unused gear and headed out of the room. Her gait was still a little wobbly but quickly faded and she could walk normally.  
The two of them made their way back outside and into the warm afternoon sun. Everybody was still going about repairs and with one final look at each other, Max and Beth parted ways. Max back to repairing the outdoor kitchen and Beth wandered over to the garden.  
Her father noticed her as she approached and smiled at her in greeting. Beth smiled back and waved.  
“How was the training?” he asked when she reached him.  
“It was great” she answered, trying her best to act normal.  
“Well good, hmm you look a little flushed there, you feeling ok?” he asked, concerned.  
Beth’s mind spun, could he tell she had just had sex?, she asked herself and fretted about what to say next.  
“Um yeah, just excited from the training I guess” she answered lamely.  
He seemed satisfied with her answer, giving her a warm smile and she breathed a sigh of relief.  
“Ok well how bout you give me a hand” he suggested.  
Beth nodded and began to dig small holes in the dirt for her father. She became engrossed in their work but was happy when he decided to finish up and continue the next day.  
Beth stood up, brushing of her hands and snuck a look at Max but he wasn’t there any more. She didn’t dwell on where he might be and wandered inside. She passed through the mess, dinner was a little while off so she grabbed a drink of water and the decided to take another shower.  
Once showered and in her cell, lying on her bunk, she opened her diary and smiled at the stolen photo of Max she still had. As she began to jot down the day’s events, her fingers trembled as she got to most important part and couldn’t help smiling and giggling.  
Her second time had been just as amazing as her first time, if not better and she couldn’t wait to write down her next time with Max. She wished though that Max could have finished in her but they really couldn’t risk her getting pregnant and made a mental note to acquire some condoms.  
Beth then heard a cough and jumped, looking up to see Carol standing at her cell door with Judith in her arms.  
“Hi Carol” said Beth, quickly shutting her diary, hoping Carol hadn’t seen the photo.  
“Afternoon” said Carol with a smile.  
Beth got up and tickled Judith’s stomach, who gurgled happily in response.  
“Want me to look after her?” Beth asked.  
“Only if you want to” said Carol.  
Beth just smiled and took Judith from her arms. Carol walked off and Beth placed Judith on the bed.  
“So Judith, what have you been up to?” Beth asked.  
Judith just grinned and Beth couldn’t help but laughing. She gave Judith a little stuffed bear to play with and finished off her diary entry.  
When night began to fall and drawn by the smell of cooking, Beth carried Judith into the mess for dinner. As they entered the room, Carl came up to them and Beth placed placed Judith in his arms.  
She then saw Max and her father were already sitting at the usual table and as she filled a water glass up, Beth took a moment to watch the two most important men in her life talk.  
They were deep in discussion but Max soon noticed her and she walked over to join them.  
“Evening” Max said lightly as she sat down.  
“Hey” she said in return in the same tone.  
“Max was just telling me how much you progressed today” remarked her father, sounding impressed.  
Beth threw Max a look and she picked the little teasing smile on his face and wondered exactly what Max had been telling her father.  
“Um yeah I’m getting better, aren’t I Max?” she said.  
“Yeah real good, almost a pro” he replied.  
“Excellent that’s my girl” said her father.  
Beth smiled at her father but she wondered if he would still be proud if he knew what she was really becoming a pro at. She giggled inwardly at the thought and then looked up to see Maggie and Glenn joining them them.  
Dinner was soon served and Beth slid as close as she could to Max as they ate. She listened as everyone talked and responded when someone asked her a question but she was happily contented to be sitting beside Max all night in silence.  
Dinner was soon finished up and their plates were cleared away. People began to drift off and before long only Beth, Max and Glenn were left in the room.  
Glenn and Max were still talking and Beth started to grow a little restless, she wasn’t really interested in what they where talking about but she didn’t want to leave.  
She pressed her leg against Max’s and made a small yawning noise. Max got the hint and said he was going to turn in and Beth quickly jumped up, stating she was going to turn in as well.  
Glenn gave them both a strange look but then said he should probably follow suit before Maggie came to find him.  
He walked off towards the cell block and Max and Beth grinned at each other, happy to be alone again.  
“So what are we going to do now?” she asked teasingly.  
She wasn’t expecting anything and was actually kinda tired but it was still fun to ask. Max was about to answer when they heard footsteps and Rick walked back in, giving them a suspicious look.  
The tension between Max and Rick still hadn’t been resolved and Beth’s heart raced as the two men looked at each other.  
“You still up Beth?” Rick asked her.  
Beth felt like she was being scolded like a child and just wanted to him her being still up wasn’t any of his concern.  
“Um yeah I was just about to head off to bed, I just wanted to ask Max about our training tomorrow” she explained.  
“Ok, but it’s late I’ll walk you to your cell” said Rick.  
Again Beth felt like she was being treated like a child, now being sent to her room and a slight scowl crossed her face but she couldn’t refuse him without causing any more suspicion and gave Max one last quick look as Rick led her out of the room.  
He didn’t say anything on the short walk into the cell block and Beth wished the man would just mind his own business. He left her in front of her cell and walked off. Beth glared at his back in the darkness and then flipped him off.  
Beth considered walking back to the mess but she decided against it and entered her cell. She undressed and crawled into bed, fuming. Beth wondered if Rick suspected them again or if he never stopped and she knew couldn’t live like this for much longer, she wanted to kiss Max whenever she wanted and have sex without the constant fear of being discovered.  
Beth knew it was a cage of her own making but maybe just maybe her father would understand and she decided to talk to Maggie about it . She lay her head on her pillow and despite her mood, drifted off to sleep and began to dream of an accepted life with Max..


	59. Chapter 59

Max scowled at Rick's back as he escorted Beth from the room and really wished he had told the man to fuck off and mind his own business. It had been a great day up until then, Max had enjoyed helping with the repairs and the sex with Beth had been awesome but now once again, Rick had managed to sour things.  
Max turned off the remaining lanterns and turned in like everybody else. He passed by Beth's cell, her door was open and he glimpsed her sleeping form inside. She looked so peaceful and Max really wished he could just slip in beside her. He realised he was staring and moved on quickly, slipping into his own cell.  
Max woke tired and irritated the next morning. He knew it was going to be a long hot day and sensed trouble ahead. He dressed and walked into the mess for some breakfast, groaning inwardly as he saw Rick.  
He was talking with Glenn and the two of them looked in Max’s direction. Max nodded at them in greeting but they didn’t return the gesture and looked at him suspiciously before returning back to their conversation.  
Max suspected what they were talking about couldn’t be good and his suspicions about trouble brewing only became stronger. He made himself some breakfast and sat down at an empty table furthest away from Rick and Glenn. As he began to eat, Hershel and Beth soon joined him with their own breakfast.  
“Morning Max” said Hershel as they sat down.  
“Morning” said Max in return.  
Beth sat next to him and slid herself into him. Max gave her a quick smile, she smiled back but he could see worry in her eyes and he wanted to be able to comfort her.  
They all quickly finished their food and Beth offered to wash up. She returned shortly and gave him a little smile.  
“Are we going to do any training today?” she asked softly.  
There was now a hopeful look on her face, though nothing like the teasing looks she had given him the day before and most likely just wanted to be alone with him.  
“Um I don’t know, you still need me to help with the repairs Hershel?” Max asked, turning to him.  
“Hmm well yes but you should get some training done as well, why don’t you do that first and then continue on with the repairs” he suggested.  
“Ok sounds good, Beth go grab your pistol and I’ll meet you in the range” he said to Beth.  
Beth nodded, got up quickly and hurried out of the room to retrieve her things. Max stood up to follow after her and as he passed Rick and Glenn, they gave him the same looks as before. Max ignored them and continued on to the range, finding Beth waiting for him.  
“Hey” she said.  
“Hey” he said back.  
Max wanted to kiss her and he sensed she wanted to kiss him too but neither of them moved and the tension in the room grew as they didn’t speak.  
“Um shall we get to it” said Beth, breaking the silence.  
“Yeah” he answered.  
Beth loaded her pistol and when they both had their ear protection on she began firing. Her first couple of shots didn’t hit the target. Beth made a frustrated noise and her face grew angry.  
Max could tell she was clearly distracted and not in the right mind set for training so Max decided to stop.  
“Hey why don’t we take a break” he suggested gently as he took the pistol from her.  
“Don’t know what’s wrong with me today” she said.  
“I think I might know, does it have anything to do with Rick last night?” he asked.  
“Yeah” she replied softly.  
Max really wanted to tell her not to worry and that everything was going to be fine but he didn’t want to lie to her.  
“Listen Beth I think we might have a problem with Rick again” he said reluctantly.  
“What?” she exclaimed.  
Max then explained what had happened in the mess with Rick and Glenn and the vibe he had gotten off them. Beth’s face paled and her bottom lip began to tremble.  
“Do you think they’ll tell daddy?” she asked.  
“Beth to be honest I don’t really know, we can’t be certain what Rick and Glenn know or what they plan to do” he answered.  
Beth was trembling now and was almost on the verge of tears. Max pulled her into him and hugged her tightly.  
“What are we going to do Max?” she asked as she buried her face into his chest.  
Max didn’t have an answer for her, if Rick and Glenn knew about them then there was a good chance they would tell Hershel. He looked down at her and saw that she was deep in thought. She noticed him looking at her and then she gave him a strange look.  
“Um Max what if we....” she trailed off and averted her eyes.  
“What if we what Beth?” he asked.  
“What if we tell daddy about us?” she blurted out and Max looked at her with surprise.  
“Yeah?” he asked.  
“Well um I was thinking about it last night and I um, I know daddy probably won’t like it but maybe if we tell him it might be ok” she replied.  
Max’s head was spinning, never thinking she would ever suggest telling her father about them especially after she had been so adamant it would only be a disaster if they did. Max thought it over and it seemed like the best course of action, considering their options.  
“Ok Beth we’ll tell him” he said.  
“Really?” she asked.  
“Yeah I think we probably should, we are going to have to tell him some time” he replied.  
“So when do we tell him?” she asked.  
“Soon Beth, we tell him soon” Max promised.  
Beth smiled happily in agreement and suddenly it was like a weight had been lifted. The was still the looming threat of how Hershel was going to react but for now the two of them were happy again.  
Beth picked up her pistol again and they proceeded with her training until there was a knock on the door and Sasha and Bob entered. Beth and Max let them have the room and after returning Beth’s pistol, they headed outside.  
“So um what now?” Beth asked as they walked out into the courtyard.  
“Let’s just see how things play out for the moment” he replied.  
Beth nodded and they parted ways. Max went to help with the outdoor kitchen roof and found the guys were almost done.  
“Hey there you are” said Tyreese as he handed Max a hammer.  
Max helped them finish off, completing it just in time for lunch. Max and the guys walked into the mess and took seats at their respective eating tables. Beth was already seated with her father and Max took his usual seat next to her. They were quickly joined by Glenn and Maggie and Max instantly sensed the tension radiating off both of them.  
Max shot a look at Maggie but she didn’t respond and Glenn just glared at him. Max wanted to ask him what his problem was but it wasn’t the time or place.  
Lunch was a stressful one and no one spoke, only to answer Hershel’s questions and Max was glad when it was over. He pulled Maggie aside afterwards and asked her what was wrong. She sighed and looked around before answering.  
“Glenn knows about you and Beth” she explained.  
“What?, how?” Max asked.  
“Well he kinda pieced it together, he said he saw you two flirting yesterday and he had a conversation with Rick, who only convinced him more, so he confronted me about it and I had to tell him” she replied.  
“You what?” Max asked.  
“Sorry Max I had to, he was going to go to daddy, I needed to convince him not to” she said  
Max mind spun and felt like the walls were closing in around him, expecting his firing squad to jump out and drag him off to his execution.  
“What’s going on?” asked a voice.  
Max and Maggie spun to see Beth with a fearful look on her face.  
“Glenn knows” Maggie answered and Beth’s face paled.  
“What’s Glenn going to do?” Max asked.  
“Not sure but I got the impression he didn’t agree with what you and Beth are doing” said Maggie.  
“Should we tell daddy about us Maggie?” Beth asked.  
Maggie gave her a surprised look and Beth quickly explained what they had discussed just before.  
“Well maybe its time then” said Maggie.  
The three of them agreed and went to find Hershel. They spotted him working alone in the garden and Beth gave Max a nervous smile.  
“So now?” she asked.  
“Yeah now” Max replied firmly.  
“Ok” she said.  
She was anxious again but this needed to be done and they began walking over to Hershel. He smiled warmly as the three of them reached him.  
“Well hello you three” he said.  
“Daddy can we to talk to you?” said Maggie.  
Hershel looked up at them and his eyes wandered between them.  
“Of course, what about?’ he asked.  
Beth glanced at Max for support but Max didn’t know what to say, how do you tell a father you have been messing around with his teenage daughter and fallen in love with her?. Beth looked back at Hershel who was waiting patiently for one of them to talk.  
“Um daddy Max and I have..” began Beth but trailed off.  
“Have you two come to ask for my blessing?” Hershel asked and Beth,Max and Maggie all looked at each other in surprise .  
“You know about us daddy?” exclaimed Beth.  
“Bethie dear I may be old but I’m not blind, do you really think I wouldn’t know what my daughter was up to?” he asked and he smiled as her jaw dropped.  
“How long have you known daddy?” Maggie asked.  
“Well perhaps not as long as you Maggie but I’ve been waiting for these two to come clean for a little while now” explained Hershel.  
“You have?” Beth asked.  
“I noticed the change in you Beth and how you two acted around each other, I’m happy that you two found each other and I have no problem with you being together” he said gently.  
“Oh daddy, really?” Beth asked.  
“Yes Bethie I really mean it, I am happy for you” he replied.  
“Oh daddy thank you” Beth cried and flung herself into him.  
“Ok, ok” he chuckled as he hugged her back.  
“Now I just need to have a conversation with Max, alone” he then said, in a serious tone  
A worried look appeared on Beth face but she nodded and with a bright smile at Max, she and Maggie walked off.  
Max was almost certain he had some sort of stroke and was now in a dream world as a result. He heard Hershel chuckle and saw the man smiling at him.  
“It really is ok Max” Hershel said warmly, guessing what he was thinking.  
“To be honest Hershel I really wasn’t expecting you to be so accepting” admitted Max.  
“hmm I guess you couldn’t be blamed for thinking that” said Hershel”  
“Hershel I just want you to know, I didn’t set out to pursue Beth, it just happened” said Max.  
“I know you didn’t Max, I know what kind of man you are and that’s one of the reasons why you and Beth need to be together” said Hershel.  
“Need?” asked Max, now confused.  
“Max I won’t be around forever and I need to know my daughters will be protected, Maggie has Glenn and now Beth has you” he said.  
Max nodded and Hershel went onto explain that he knew Beth would need a protector in her life, he wasn’t doubting Beth abilities but it was just a fact, especially after her suicide attempt and Zach’s attempted rape. It was after Zach’s attack and watching Beth heal under Max’s care and training that Hershel knew that Max was the man to protect his daughter and was happy when a romance had blossomed.  
“So what about the rest of the group?” Max asked when Hershel had finished.  
“You let me worry about them, we’ll let them know tonight” said Hershel.  
Max was happy with this plan and with that the men had no more to say. Max began to leave but Hershel stopped him before he did.  
“Oh and Max, one more thing, if you break my daughter’s heart I’ll kill you” he warned.  
“Hershel if I hurt Beth I’ll hand you the gun myself” Max promised.  
Hershel nodded, happy with his response and Max left him to his things and went to look for Beth.He didn't have to look long, finding her in the library and she flung herself happily into his arms as he came into the room.  
“Oh Max” she squealed happily.  
“Hey beautiful” said Max picking her up.  
Beth wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately  
“Oh my god Max, I never thought this would ever happen” she said, her eyes sparkling.  
“Me too but here we are” he said.  
He dropped her to the floor, she took his hand in hers and led him over to one of the couches. They sat down and Beth practically climbed on top of him and kissed him.  
“We don’t have to hide any more Max” she said happily.  
“No we don’t” Max agreed.  
“We can kiss any time we want now” she said.  
“Yes we can” Max said with a smile  
“And we can have sex any time we want now too” she said in a matter of factly way.  
“Hmm I suppose we can” he said.  
“Any time” she repeated and ran her fingers down his chest suggestively.  
“Any time huh?” he asked and she nodded excitedly.  
“Yep, so I hope you’re up for that Maxwell Knight” she said.  
“Oh trust me miss Greene I’m up for it all” he promised and she giggled in delight  
“I still can’t believe this is actually happening Max” she said.  
“Yeah it’s a little surreal, didn’t think your dad would let me have a relationship with his teen daughter” said Max.  
“Well I am almost eighteen” she said  
“I guess so, say when do you turn eighteen?” he asked for interest sake.  
“What’s the date today?” she asked.  
Max looked at his watch, a hardened tactical timepiece, designed and built just for the SAS. It was a digital analogy hybrid with an extremely long lasting battery.  
“It's almost the end of June” he answered, reading the digital readout.  
“Well I’ll turn eighteen in August” she said.  
“August huh?” Max asked, smiling at her.  
“Yeah why?” she asked.  
“My birthday is August as well” he revealed.  
Her eyes lit up and a brilliant smile spread across her face.  
“No way, really?” she asked.  
“Yeah August twenty first” he replied.  
“I’m August fifteenth” she said excitedly.  
“Hmm so we’ll celebrating our birthdays together than huh?”  
“Yeah I guess we will” she said with a giggle.  
Max just stared lovingly into her eyes and kissed her. She kissed him back and he began to roam his hands across her body, causing her to moan softly.  
They soon became so wrapped in each other that they failed to notice Rick and Glenn had walked into the room.  
“Beth get away from him” Rick ordered, startling both of them.  
Beth leapt off Max and looked at the two men in fear as Max stood up.  
“Rick what are you doing?” Beth asked fearfully.  
“Beth get away from him, now!” said Rick more forcibly.  
Max quickly assessed the situation, both were armed, had intense looks on their faces and weren’t there for a friendly chat.  
“Beth I think it might be best if you went and got your father” he said to Beth.  
Beth looked at him and then at Rick and Glenn. Max could tell she didn’t want to leave him alone but with one last terrified look she hurried from the room.  
“So what happens now Rick?” Max asked calmly.  
“Haven’t decided yet, but this stops now, this thing between you and Beth stops now” said Rick  
“Fraid that’s not going to happen Rick” said Max simply and Rick's scowl deepened.  
“Dude it’s not right, she’s like sixteen” piped up Glenn.  
Max raised an eyebrow at Glenn, getting Beth’s age wrong kinda irked him. Max knew Glenn was only trying to do the right thing but by not consulting Hershel first, he was going about all the wrong way.  
“Guys you need to understand that you’re making a big mistake here” Max explained, still keeping calm.  
“Oh I don’t think we are” said Rick angrily.  
Rick drew his pistol, aiming it at Max’s head and in that moment Max knew he was going to have to fight his way out of the situation.  
He didn’t need to kill them, he just needed to incapacitate them quickly. Glenn was no threat but Rick might prove a slight challenge and would need to be dealt with accordingly.  
Rick stepped closer and Max struck, snapping his hand around the barrel of Rick’s pistol, tearing it from his hand and tossing across the room. He quickly brought his other hand up and slammed it into Rick’s chest, sending the man sprawling.  
Glenn rushed in but Max anticipated the move, punching him quickly in the throat. Glenn collapsed to the ground gasping and Max quickly slammed his fist into the side of Glenn’s head, knocking him unconscious.  
With Glenn dealt with, Max turned his attention to Rick, who was picking himself up of the ground.  
“Stay down Rick” Max ordered.  
Rick ignored him and stood up, glaring at Max and drew his knife from his belt.  
“I’m going to kill you” he snarled.  
“Rick just stop mate” said Max.  
Rick lunged, attempting to stab him. Max deftly avoided him, grabbed him by his knife wrist and twisted hard, causing Rick to drop the knife in pain. Max kicked the knife away and landed a devastating uppercut to Rick’s jaw. Rick flew backwards, knocked off his feet.  
“Had enough Rick?” Max asked.  
Rick wasn’t done yet, picked himself up and tackled Max around the waist, smashing him into the bookshelf behind him. Max roared in pain and drove his elbow into Rick’s back while slamming his knee into Rick’s stomach. Rick let out a strangled groan and slumped to the floor.  
Max was about to finish him off but was distracted by the sudden reappearance of Beth and several others as they burst into the room.  
It was over and Max began to relax but then he saw a horrified look appear on Beth’s face and heard the sound of a pistol slide. Max looked back at Rick to see he had pulled Glenn’s pistol from his belt and was now aiming it directly at Max.  
“Rick what are you doing?” asked Daryl.  
“Rick put the gun down” yelled Maggie.  
Rick ignored them and then Beth’s terrified scream filled the room as he pulled the trigger…


	60. Chapter 60

Beth’s heart raced and her breath burned in her lungs as she ran from the library, needing to find help and fast.  
She burst outside and saw Maggie, Daryl, Michonne and a couple of others sitting in the sun. Beth screamed out to Maggie and everyone outside in the courtyard turned to look.  
“Beth what’s wrong?” yelled Maggie.  
“Maggie they are going to kill him, please you have to help me” she begged.  
Everyone looked confused but Maggie jumped up, running over to her as the rest followed.  
“Is it Rick?” asked Maggie.  
“Yes and Glenn please we have to stop them ” Beth replied frantically.  
Beth began to run back to the library as Maggie and the rest followed.  
“What’s going on?” asked Daryl  
Beth ignored him and kept running, hoping they weren’t too late. They made back to the library and as Beth burst through the door first she was extremely relieved to see Max was still alive. Glenn was lying on the ground unmoving and then she saw Rick pull a pistol from Glenn’s belt and aim it at Max.  
“Rick what are you doing?” asked Daryl.  
“Rick put the gun down” yelled Maggie.  
Rick pulled the trigger and Beth screamed as the gun went off. Max roared in pain, clutched his left shoulder and stumbled backwards.  
“Oh son of a fucking bitch” yelled Max.  
“Max, oh my god” Beth cried as she rushed over to him.  
Blood was pouring from a wound in his shoulder where Rick’s bullet had struck him and Beth feared the worst.  
“Max are you ok?” Beth asked frantically.  
He nodded with a grimace and she helped him into a chair. She pulled off her blouse, thankful she was wearing an under top that day and pressed it against his shoulder in an effort to stop the bleeding.  
“Beth get away from him” ordered Rick, who had now gotten to his feet and was still aiming the pistol at Max.  
“You shot him, he needs help” Beth screamed at Rick.  
“Rick please put the gun down” pleaded Michonne.  
“Rick just put the gun down man” said Daryl.  
Beth glared at Rick as he ignored everyone and saw Maggie step behind him and quickly strike him on the head with his own pistol, retrieved from the floor. Rick dropped like a stone, knocked out.  
“What is going on here?, we heard a gunshot” demanded a voice as Beth’s father, Carol and Sasha walked into the room.  
“Daddy, Rick shot Max” said Beth frantically.  
“What?” he asked, looking at Rick’s unconscious body.  
“He shot him daddy, look” said Beth, pulling her now blood stained shirt away.  
Her father walked over to examine Max’s wound and Max winced as he touched it.  
“Is it bad Max?” her father asked.  
“Don’t think so but the bullet is still in there and it hurts like hell” Max replied with a grimace.  
“Ok we need to get you patched up, Carol would you please retrieve Caleb and Bob, I’m going to need their help here” he asked and Carol nodded and ducked out the door.  
“Will someone please explain what’s going on, why did Rick just shoot you Max?” asked Michonne.  
Max didn’t answer and Beth was too preoccupied to care to answer and it was Maggie who spoke up.  
“Max and Beth are in a relationship, in secret for a while now and Rick and Glenn found out” Maggie explained.  
Most of the group looked surprised, but Sasha actually smiled slightly and Daryl just looked indifferent.  
“So Rick and Glenn decided to take matters into their own hands?” asked Michonne.  
“It would seem so” answered Maggie.  
Daryl and Tyreese dragged Glenn and Rick over to separate couches, though Beth would have preferred to have just left them on the floor.  
Carol soon reappeared with Dr S.(Caleb) and Bob and the two men looked around the room confused.  
“Over here gentlemen” said Hershel.  
“What happened?” Dr S. asked as he put down his medical kit.  
“later, we need to deal with this first” her father answered.  
Dr S. nodded and pulled out a pair of scissors and began to cut Max's shirt off. Beth saw everyone’s eyes widen as they saw the multiple scars and healed wounds on his body.  
“Holy shit” blurted out Bob  
“Yeah yeah, I know, can we get this fucking bullet out of me now?” Max snapped angrily.  
“Ok everyone how bout we give Max some privacy?” suggested Hershel and Beth looked at her father gratefully.  
Everyone but Maggie, Beth, Bob, Hershel, Dr S and Max left, taking the still unconscious Rick and Glenn with them.  
“Beth you don’t need to be here” said Maggie gently.  
“No I’m staying” said Beth firmly and Maggie nodded.  
Dr S began rummaging through the prison medical kit, pulling out bandages, antiseptic wipes and a pair of surgical pilers.  
After disinfecting the wound, Dr S. carefully inserted the pilers and tried to grasp the bullet but he must have hit a nerve because Max roared in pain.  
“Watch it fuckhead” he snapped angrily.  
Even though she had wanted to stay, Beth buried her face into Maggie’s chest, unable to see Max in pain.  
“Sorry I’m doing my best” Dr S. pleaded.  
“Max, I know you are in pain and angry but we need you to let us help you” pleaded her father calmly.  
“Yeah sorry, just get it done” said Max, more calmly.  
Dr S nodded and tried again. He was able to pull the bullet from Max’s shoulder and held up the red stained bullet.  
“There we go, and it’s still intact” said the doctor.  
“Is that good?” Beth asked.  
“Yes very good” he replied.  
Dr S. and Bob began to patch Max up and Beth just wanted to comfort him.  
“Ok you’ll all good to go but I suggest you take it easy, lots of rest” suggested Dr S. when they had finished.  
“Yeah I know the drill” said Max.  
“Yes I supposed you do” said Dr S.  
“Come let’s get you to bed” suggested Beth.  
As soon as she said it, she blushed, realising what she had just said. No one seemed too concerned about what she had said but Maggie did give her a little smile.  
Max was able to walk under his own power and they headed to the cell blocks. Beth slipped her hand into his and squeezed it gently. As entered the mess, it was in an uproar and everyone was talking all at once. The room hushed as they all saw Max’s bloody chest and then the room exploded with questions.  
“Everyone just calm down, I’ll explain everything shortly” said Hershel.  
They continued through into the cell block and into Max’s cell. Max let out a little groan as he lay down and Beth made sure he was comfy, taking his boots off and propping his back up with pillows.  
“You ok?” she asked.  
“Yeah I’m good” he assured her.  
Maggie then came into the cell with a bowl of warm water and a cloth.  
“Let’s get you cleaned up Max” said Maggie gently.  
Max nodded and she and Beth began to wash the dying blood from Max’s chest, careful not to touch his bandage. When he was cleaned up Beth and Maggie carefully helped him into a clean shirt.  
“Can I get you anything?” Beth asked when Maggie left with the bloody cloths and water but Max just shook his head.  
“Are you sure?” Beth pressed, her voice breaking  
Her eyes began to well with tears and Max reached out to wipe them away before stroking her cheek.  
“Hey, hey, I’m fine and I’m going to be fine Beth, Dr S. got the bullet out and he and Bob patched me up pretty damm good actually” he said gently.  
Beth nodded but wasn’t completely convinced yet and Max must have sensed that.  
“Beth, I’ve been shot before and trust me this is nothing” he assured her.  
“Ok, ok” she said.  
She was convinced now, though was a little disconcerted that the only reason Max knew he was going to be fine was that he had been shot so many times but she wiped the tears still leaking down her face and gave him a little smile.  
“There we go, there’s that smile I love” he said.  
Beth’s smile widened despite herself and Max took her hand in his, interlocking their fingers.  
“We’ll get past this Beth, we have your dad’s blessing and the rest of the group will accept it” he assured firmly.  
Beth nodded and began to cheer up considerably, believing his words. Her smile got brighter still and she lent over to kiss him gently.  
“mm I think I might a lot of those to help me heal” he said teasingly  
“Well I better kiss you a lot then in that case” she said back.  
She kissed him again and lay down down next to him. Max took up most of the bunk but she was able to fit her small frame on the bed comfortably.  
Beth was about to lay her head on his chest when she heard loud voices coming from the mess, Beth recognised Rick voice and she was filled with anger.  
“Beth don’t” said Max gently as she jumped up from the bed.  
She walked out the cell, ignoring Max’s call for her to come back, her need to confront Rick was the only thing on her mind now.  
She stopped just before walking in mess and saw the entire group, minus the children were all watching Rick as he paced around the room.  
“Rick you need to calm down” her father pleaded.  
“.Hershel he was touching her, he has been for a while” Rick said angrily.  
“I’m well aware of the situation Rick” said her father.  
“You know?” Rick asked.  
“Yes Rick and if you had come to me first I would have told you that I’m fine with Beth and Max being together” her father calmly explained.  
“Hershel you really can’t be all right with this” said Rick.  
“I just said that I am Rick but that’s not the point, you and Glenn took on yourselves to confront Max, we have rules Rick, rules you agreed to when you stopped being in charge” said Hershel  
Rick make a frustrated noise, shaking his head and Beth had enough of him. She marched angrily into the room and stood in front of Rick, shaking with rage.  
Before anybody could react, she struck him with all her strength across the face. The slap echoed through the hushed room and Rick stumbled back holding his cheek. Beth attempted to hit him again but was pulled back by Maggie.  
“Let me go” she yelled angrily.  
“Bethie honey, calm down” Maggie said gently.  
“I won’t calm down he tried to kill Max and your stupid husband helped him” Beth yelled.  
“Beth I..” began Rick softly.  
“Shut up, shut up” Beth screamed at him.  
Maggie tried to drag her away but Beth was too worked up and stepped up to Rick again, fixing him with a furious stare.  
“He wasn’t hurting me or taking advantage of me Rick, I wanted to be with him” she spat out.  
Rick looked around the room for support but found none and Beth continued on.  
“You had no right, you’re not my father, you’re not a cop any more and you’re not in charge here Rick so you certainly have no say in who I spend my time with” she said.  
Rick just stared at her speechless, his eye wide in shock and without another word, Beth turned on her heels and marched back out of the mess.  
She was shaking now and doubled over, almost throwing up. Her father came up behind her, pulling her into his arms and she melted into his hug  
“I hate him daddy, I hate him so much” she whispered angrily.  
“Shh I know dear it’s ok” he hushed her and stroked her back.  
She wiped the tears of rage from her eyes and looked up at him.  
“What are you going to do about him and Glenn?” she asked.  
“I don’t know yet” he answered and she gave him a look.  
“Bethie I understand you are angry but this is a complicated matter” he reasoned.  
Beth nodded, she didn’t really understand but she trusted her father and his judgement.  
“Ok how bout we check on Max?” he suggested.  
She knew he was just changing the subject but she nodded again and they walked back into Max’s cell.  
“How are you feeling now?” Hershel asked Max.  
“Yeah all good” Max replied, sitting up slightly.  
“Well good, you tell me if anything changes” he asked  
“Will do” Max promised.  
He nodded and walked off, leaving Beth and Max alone. She was still angry and just stood at the door.  
“Hey, come here’ Max said gently.  
She walked in and lay down next to him.  
“I heard what you said to Rick” he revealed.  
“Oh” said Beth softly and blushed.  
“Yeah the whole prison and the surrounding suburbs probably heard you” he said.  
“Well he deserved it, this was supposed to be a happy day Max and he almost ruined everything” said Beth.  
“Yeah he kinda did didn’t he” agreed Max  
“What are you going to do about him?” she asked.  
“I don’t know” he replied.  
Beth looked at him with surprise, it was the same answer he father had given and wondered why they were unwilling to make a decision.  
“He tried to kill you Max” said Beth incredulously.  
“Beth I’m not saying he did was right or that I would have done the same and yeah sure I’m fucking pissed at him but what your father said was right, this is complicated”  
“You heard that as well?” she asked and he nodded.  
“Yeah and if I take my revenge on Rick, that makes me no better” he explained.  
Beth knew he was right, as was her father but it was still frustrating.  
“Ok” she relented.  
She was exhausted now, the excitement of the day had taken it out of her and she lay her head down on Max’s chest and before she knew it, was fast asleep.  
She woke again to find her father shaking her gently. She looked to see Max was asleep as well.  
“Come get some dinner Beth” whispered her father  
Beth went to wake Max but her father stopped her.  
“Let him sleep” he said  
Beth nodded and walked into the mess. The room was hushed and the talking was minimal. Everyone looked up as she walked in and Beth felt very self concious under their gaze. She bowed her head and followed her father to a table where Maggie and Carol were sitting.  
Maggie slid her a bowl of stew and Beth began eating, trying to ignore the looks being thrown her way. Beth finished up her food quickly and excused herself.  
Max was still asleep when she returned to his cell and she slipped back into the bunk beside him again.  
“You should let Max sleep Beth” said her fathers voice from the cell door, startling her.  
“I know, I want to stay here though” said Beth.  
Her father gave her a look but she wouldn’t budge.  
“Please daddy?” she begged.  
He relented, nodded and he kissed her goodnight. Beth pulled off her boots and pants before slipping back in the bunk. She lay her head gently on Max’s chest and was soon lulled back to sleep by Max’s steady heat beat.  
When she woke the next morning she at first confused where she was but when she felt Max move it all came back to her. Max jerked awake and he smiled at her when he found her in the bunk with him.  
“Morning” he said.  
“How are you feeling?” she asked him.  
“Well the shoulder still stings a little but other than that I’m good” he replied.  
“Ok good, you hungry?, you missed dinner, you should eat” Beth suggested.  
“Yeah breakfast sounds good” he agreed.  
He began to get up but she stopped him, pushing him back.  
“No, you still need to rest I’ll go get us some breakfast” she said firmly.  
He looked like he was going to protest but then settled back into the bunk. Beth pulled on her jeans and boots on and walked cautiously into the mess, not really wanting to talk to anyone. She saw Carol and Karen talking and they gave her warm smiles. Beth returned a weak one and continued over to the food prep table.  
She decide to make some tea first and lit the little stove to boil some water. As she filled the first mug, some water splashed out and hit her hand causing her to yelp in pain. The ceramic mug smashed on the ground. She bent down to pick up the pieces but Carol and Karen stopped her.  
“Hey Beth it’s ok we got this” Karen said gently.  
“Thanks I um was going to make Max some breakfast” she said  
“Ok we’ll help you” promised Carol, giving Beth a smile.  
Beth nodded and let the two women help her. Karen swept up the broken mug and Carol began opening a can of fruit.  
“How is he this morning?” Carol asked.  
“He’s ok” was all Beth managed to answer.  
Carol nodded and poured the fruit into some bowls.  
“You know I kinda thought you two would get together” said Carol.  
“You did?” asked Beth in surprise  
“Yeah it was a only a matter of time especially with you two spending so much time together” she replied.  
Beth smiled and felt her spirits being lifted but she looked around the room with concern.  
“So you don’t think I’m too young for Max?” she asked worriedly.  
“Well I guess your age and the age gap between you would be a voice of concern before but it’s a new world now Beth it’s not like there are many suitable guys for you to date now days” Carol reasoned.  
“Thanks Carol” said Beth, smiling at her.  
Carol smiled back and then the two of them carried the breakfast to Max.  
“Well morning there” said Carol as the walked into the cell.  
“Carol” said Max in greeting  
“All comfy in here, need more pillows?” Carol ask.  
“Nah all good, thanks though” he replied.  
Carol smiled, nodded and left Beth and Max to their breakfast.  
“So miss Greene, what do you want to do today?” he asked when they had finished eating  
“Well you aren’t leaving this bed, so I guess we’ll hang out here” Beth replied firmly.  
“Yes mam” he said without protest.  
“Well you two look rested” said a voice, and they both looked to see Maggie and Hershel standing at the door.  
“Hows the shoulder?” Hershel asked Max.  
“Yeah getting better, hows Glenn?” he asked.  
Beth scowled at Glenn’s name, he hadn’t been in the mess the day before or at dinner so she didn’t get the chance to confront him like she did Rick. Maggie saw Beth’s scowl and gave her a sheepish look.  
“He’s fine, woke up last night with a headache” Maggie answered.  
“Yeah sorry I had to do that” said Max  
“Don’t be, he deserved it” she replied.  
A serious look then appeared on Maggie's face and her father looked directly at Beth.  
“Bethie why don’t you got take a shower, get yourself cleaned up” he suggested.  
Beth gave them a look but realised they wanted to speak to Max alone and reluctantly relented.  
“Ok but I’ll be back soon” she warned.  
Beth grabbed her things from her cell and went to take a shower. Afterwards on the way back from the shower room, Beth noticed Carl sitting with Judith and she walked up to them.  
“Hi Beth” said Carl nervously.  
“Hi Carl” said Beth.  
Judith gurgled happily and held out her arms. Beth picked her up and giggled as Beth tickled her.  
“I’m sorry what my dad did yesterday” said Carl.  
Beth nodded, she couldn’t be mad at them, especially Judith and it wasn’t their fault what their father did.  
“It’s ok Carl, I don’t blame you” she assured him and a relived smile appeared on his face.  
“Is Max all right?” he asked.  
“Yeah but he’s going to have to rest for a while” she replied.  
Carl nodded and then looked thoughtful before ducking away and quickly returning with a stack of comic books.  
“Um Max said he liked comics, maybe he’d like these” he said.  
He held them out, Beth handed Judith back to him and she took the comics.  
“Thanks Carl, Max will love them” said Beth.  
Carl looked embarrassed now and Beth couldn’t help smiling at him  
“Yeah um sorry again” he said sheepishly and then walked off Judith.  
Beth watched them go and threw her things into her cell before retuning to Max’s cell with Carl’s comics in hand.  
She found Maggie and her father had left and now Dr S. was changing Max’s bandage.  
“Well it looks good Max, no sign of infection” said Dr S.  
“Sounds great doc” said Max.  
“Now remember, plenty of rest” said Dr S.  
“Will do” Max promised.  
Dr S gathered up his things and with a nod to them both, left the cell.  
“What you got there?” Max asked.  
“Oh Carl thought you might want to read theses” said Beth, handing him the comics  
“Oh cool” he said.  
Beth smiled at him and his face lit up as he looked through him.  
“Tell him thanks” asked Max.  
“I will, so um what did Maggie and daddy have to say?” she asked.  
“Ahh they just wanted to make sure I wasn’t thinking about getting revenge on Rick and Glenn” he replied.  
“Oh ok” she said.  
Beth was still mad at Glenn and Rick for what they did but she needed to put it behind her, she still had Max and the two of them could still be together so she decided to be very grateful for that.  
Beth gave him a little smile and slipped back onto the bed side him, gently touching his fresh bandage  
“It’s good what Dr S. said” she said softly.  
“Yeah it is, I’ll be back to normal in no time” he said.  
Beth was cheered up more by this information and couldn’t help but smiling brightly at him. Max grinned back and then picked up the stack of comic books.  
“So wanna read some comics with me?” he asked.  
“I’m not much of a comic reader” Beth admitted.  
“Oh?, never would have guessed that” said Max teasingly.  
Beth’s eyes widen and she looked at him with mock outrage and playfully punched his arm.  
“Well I’m sorry I’m not a big geek like yourself” she said with a teasing smile.  
Max just laughed and Beth giggled as well.  
“So you don’t want to read comic with me?” he then asked.  
“Ok but you gotta explain all the characters and what’s happening” she asked  
“Deal” he promised.  
That settled in and began reading the first comic he chose. Beth had never read a comic in her life and never thought she would, but laying next to Max as explained the world in the book she would read them with him everyday.  
“So he gets bitten by a spider and gets spider powers?” Beth asked in disbelief after they had been reading for a while.  
“Well yeah but it was a radioactive spider” he replied.  
“Oh I guess that makes a lot more sense” she said teasingly  
“Hey babe it’s the comics, doesn’t have to make sense” Max reasoned.  
“hmm ok” Beth said back and Max just laughed at her.  
They continued reading, Maggie and Carol brought them some lunch and as Beth came back from returning their empty dishes she found Max getting up.  
“What are you doing?” she asked  
“Just going to take a shower and I want to get some sun and fresh air” he answered  
“Max you need to rest” she said.  
“Beth I’m not disagreeing, I’m just going to take a shower that’s all” he said.  
Beth nodded, relenting and realised she was being too protective and smiled embarrassedly.  
“Ok just be careful” she warned  
“Will do, wanna help me shower?” he asked  
Beth’s jaw dropped as he grinned at her, she then blushed and giggled.  
“Hmm maybe next time, besides I already showered today” she replied  
“Shame” he said  
“Come on mister, lets get you showered” she said, rolling her eyes.  
Max laughed, gathered his shower gear, some clean clothes and they headed to the shower room together  
Beth became nervous as they walked together and wondered what everyone was thinking as they looked in their direction  
“Ignore them Beth” said Max.  
Beth nodded and they continued on to the shower room. Max quickly showered and then the two decided to sit in the sun, picking a spot on the hill in the grass.  
Beth noticed Sasha, Tyreese, Bob and some others walking towards them and she eyed them wearily.  
“Hey you two” said Sasha as the group reached them.  
Beth looked at them worriedly but Sasha was smiling and she relaxed.  
“Hows the shoulder Max?” Tyreese asked.  
“Yeah all good mate, healing nicely” he replied.  
“Good” said Tyreese.  
“So what’s up guys?” Max asked.  
The little group looked at each other and then Sasha spoke up again.  
“So listen we just wanted to say that we have no problem with you two being a couple” said Sasha and Beth smiled brightly at them.  
“Thanks guys” she said happily.  
“And we really think Rick and Glenn overstepped their bounds and Max we don’t blame you for what you did” said Sasha.  
“Thanks guys and just for the record I was never going to kill them” said Max.  
“Good to know Max” said Tyreese.  
Beth was in an ecstatic mood, happy now that the group was going to accept them and that they disagreed with Rick and Glenn’s actions.  
Sasha and the group left Beth and Max alone and Beth couldn’t stop smiling.  
“Well you look happy” Max said.  
Beth nodded and Max lent into to kiss her. She let out a little sigh and Max lay her back into the grass. He began to kiss her hungrily and she felt his hand on her hip.  
“Oh Max” she moaned  
It was strange being able to kiss out in the open like this, without worrying that they would be caught and Beth lost herself in the moment.  
She felt his hand slide down her thigh and Beth let out another little moan. She wanted him badly to take things further but they couldn’t and pushed him away.  
“Not here ” she whispered, giving him a smile.  
“Yes mam” he said.  
The two of them then lay in the grass for a little while, looking up at the clouds and pointing out the shapes they made until they decided to head back inside get a drink.  
As they walked into the mess, Beth froze when she saw her father talking to Rick and sensed Max tense beside her.  
Beth knew this confrontation was bound to happen but she wasn’t prepared for it to happen so soon.  
“Gentleman lets all stay calm here” said Beth’s father as Max and Rick glared at each other.  
Daryl and Tyreese got up from their table and readied for a fight. Beth looked at Rick with a mixture of fear and anger, wondering what he was going to do.  
“I’m cool Hershel” said Max calmly, holding out his hands.  
“Rick?” asked her father.  
Rick nodded but walked out of the mess and Beth scowled angrily as he left, though relaxing somewhat. She looked at Max but he was looking at her father questioningly.  
“Hershel?” said Max  
“He’s not going to do anything, just give him some time” he replied.  
“Yeah?, well as long as he doesn’t fucking shoot me again I don’t give a fuck what he does” said Max.  
Beth took his hand a squeezed it gently and he gave her a reassuring look.  
“Come on lets go, you still need to be resting” she suggested gently.  
Max nodded and with nods to everyone else in the room, Beth and Max walked back to his cell.  
“You ok Max?” Beth asked worriedly as he crawled into his bunk.  
“Yeah I’m good Beth” he assured her.  
Beth nodded and got into the bunk with him again. They spent the rest of the day reading and talking until Carol came to get them for dinner.  
Beth was once again apprehensive but as they walked into the mess, Rick wasn’t present and she relaxed. They sat with Maggie and her father at their usual table and dinner was soon served.  
Glenn came up and gave everyone a sheepish look. Beth glared daggers at him wanting to snap at him like she had with Rick but she held back.  
He began to sit down but Beth’s father cleared his throat and Maggie shook her head.  
“Might be best if you sit somewhere else for the time being son” suggested Beth’s father.  
Glenn’s face fell, he looked like he was going to protest but Maggie threw him a look and he shuffled off, defeated.  
The mood at the table was a little tense and Beth knew her sister and Glenn were going to have work through it but Beth wasn’t going to forgive him any time soon.  
Dinner was finished off and Max and Beth retired back to his cell and Beth decided she was sleeping right beside him again.  
“Can I sleep here again?” she asked.  
“Yeah come here” he said, patting the bunk beside him.  
Beth grinned and quickly stripped off her boots and jeans. She slipped into the bunk and snuggled into him. Max wrapped his arm around her and she sighed happily as he kissed her goodnight.  
She thought about maybe continuing what they had started in the field but with Max’s shoulder she decided against it, besides they would be plenty of other nights for that.  
They soon both drifted off to sleep and Beth couldn’t wait to wake up next to him in the morning and everyday after.


	61. Chapter 61

Max smiled down at the still sleeping Beth at his side. She looked so beautiful and peaceful as she slept and couldn’t help feeling a little lustful as he gazed over her body, clad in a thin tank top and cute cotton panties  
He tucked a stray stand of hair behind her ear, brushing her cheek in the process. Beth didn’t stir but a smile appeared on her face and he knew she was now awake.  
Max ran his fingers down her arm and then up and down her bare thigh. Beth giggled, unable to pretend to be asleep any more and open her eyes, smiling up at him.  
“Well good morning beautiful” said Max.  
“Morning” she said.  
She yawned and stretched, pressing her body into him as she did. She rolled over to face him and touched his bandage gently.  
“Still hurt?” she asked.  
“Stings a little but I’m all good” he assured.  
“I wish I was a doctor so I could help you heal faster” she said softly.  
“Hey you are helping me heal” he assured her.  
“Yeah?, my kisses are helping?” she asked with a little giggle as she gave him a soft kiss.  
“They sure are” he said.  
She smiled happily then it became a teasing one.  
“Anything else I can do to help you heal?” she asked.  
“What did you have in mind?” Max asked.  
She grinned mischievously, sliding her hand down his stomach and then over his cock. She began to rub it gently through his boxer briefs and Max just grinned at her. She pulled his cock free and began to stroke him as he quickly hardened in her hand.  
“Want me to suck it?” she whispered.  
Her eyes were hopeful and Max could tell she really wanted to do it this time.  
“Go for it Beth” he whispered.  
She smiled and lowered her head but then looked at him for instructions.  
“Kiss it a bit first” he suggested  
Beth did so and began to lay soft kisses down his shaft and around the head of his cock. The sensation of her lips felt amazing and Max smiled, letting out a soft groan.  
“This good Max?” she asked  
“Yeah so good” he whispered.  
Beth looked delighted, her kisses deepened and then she took him into her mouth. Max looked down at her with lust and love as his she began to suck him.  
“Oh shit yeah Beth just like that” he said.  
Beth’s hot wet mouth felt so good on his cock, she was by no means an expert but Beth was going to make him cum regardless.  
“Yeah Beth keep going” he whispered.  
Beth spurred on by confidence, she picked up the pace and took more of him into her mouth. She couldn’t fit all of his length but Max was far from bothered and just enjoyed it. Beth locked eyes with him and he knew he was going to last much longer.  
“Oh shit Beth I’m gonna cum” he groaned.  
Beth kept sucking and soon Max exploded into her mouth. Beth gagged slightly but she managed not to cough and even swallowed his load.  
“Wow Beth” he said as she let his cock slide from her mouth.  
“Yeah?, not bad for my first blow job?” she asked with a smile and he grinned back.  
Beth giggled softly and snuggled back up to him. Max really wanted to return the favour but the sounds of people getting up dampened the mood and it would have to wait. Beth didn’t seem to mind and gave him another smile.  
“So what are we going to do today?” she asked.  
“Well how bout we get back to some training?” he suggested.  
“Are you sure you’re up for that?” she asked.  
“Nothing strenuous, just some weapon training” Max replied  
“Ok sounds good, now how bout we get some breakfast?” Beth suggested.  
Max agreed and they got dressed. As they walked out of the cell together, they ran into Michonne who smiled teasingly at them.  
“Morning you two” she said.  
“Hi Michonne” said Beth, blushing  
Michonne continued to grin and Max felt his face warm up. Even though they had the groups acceptance, it was still going to be a little strange for a while.  
“How are you today Max?” Michonne asked, eyeing his shoulder.  
“Yeah much better” he answered.  
“That’s good to hear” she said.  
The three of them walked into the mess and made themselves some breakfast. Michonne sat with Carol while Max and Beth joined Maggie and Hershel.  
“Morning” said Beth cheerfully as they sat down.  
“Morning Bethie, Max how is the shoulder today?” Hershel asked him.  
“Better” said Max.  
Hershel got up and inspected for himself but agreed with Max’s assessment.  
“Hmm yes very good, healing nicely but make sure to change your bandage regularly” said Hershel and Max nodded.  
They finished their breakfast and then Max and Beth headed to the armoury. Beth grabbed her pistol but Max stopped her.  
“I think we’ll step it up today” he said.  
“Oh?” she asked, confused.  
“Yeah, how bout we get you trained up with something with a bit more fire power” he suggested.  
“Ok” said Beth.  
The group only had two sub machine guns, the H&K UMP he had brought and H&K MP5 . Max grabbed them and some ammo then headed to the range.  
It was empty and they set up. Max lay the weapons on the table and made sure their clips were filled with right ammo.  
“Ok It’s sub machine guns today, now SMG’s are the step up from a pistol, they fire a variety of pistol ammo, usually 9mm or 45 calibres, just at a higher rate of fire and with more ammo capacity” Max explained.  
He picked up the first SMG, the UMP, slammed in full clip and pulled the charging handle to load it as Beth watched him intently.  
“Ok now like assault rifles SMG’s have a fire selector, full auto, three round burst, single shot and off” he explained, showing her the switch just above the grip.  
“You know what all that means?” he asked.  
“No, not really” she admitted.  
“Ok on full auto, when you pull the trigger the weapon will fire until the magazine is empty or if you release the trigger, a three round burst will only fire three bullets every time you pull the trigger and single shot..” he explained.  
“Will only fire one bullet” she finished.  
“Exactly” he said with a smile.  
They put on their ear muffs and Max fired off a quick burst, shredding the target on the far wall.  
“Ok your turn” he said.  
Max selected single fire mode and handed the weapon to her.  
“Now make sure it’s firm up against your shoulder, focus and squeeze the trigger” he instructed.  
Beth did as he instructed, aimed and pulled the trigger. Max smiled as she managed to hit the target.  
“Ok now that’s single fire, let’s see how you do with full auto” he said.  
Max selected full auto and told her to try again. Beth did so and squealed as the weapon let off a spray of bullets, peppering the wall.  
“Oh my god” she said.  
“Yep this baby fires about six hundred rounds a minute on full auto but in interest of saving ammo maybe we just practise single fire and three round burst for now” suggested Max.  
When Beth had fired off both weapons enough to get a feel for them Max stopped her.  
“Ok which one did you find the most comfortable firing?” he asked.  
“Um this one I guess” she answered, picking up the UMP again  
“Alright so it’s going to be the same deal as with your pistol” he said.  
“What if some else wants to use them?” Beth asked.  
“Beth I ultimately want you to know all types of weapons so when you have to use them you’ll know how, but I also want you to have your own personal set of weapons.” he explained and Beth nodded, understanding.  
It was close to lunch time and they decided to call it a day, returning the guns and ammo back to the armoury.  
After lunch, Beth decided to do some washing and suggested they wash some of his clothes as well. They collected their dirty clothes and walked out to the the tubs the group used to do laundry. Max filled up one of the washing tubs with water and Beth dumped in some laundry detergent.  
“You know I never thought I would be have to wash my clothes by hand again” said Max as he began to scrub one of his shirts.  
“Again?” Beth asked.  
“Yeah sometimes on assignment we would have to wash our own clothes”  
“Really?” Beth asked.  
“Only sometimes, mostly there would be laundry services on the bases I was stationed at” Max replied.  
“Yeah I really miss the days of just throwing things into the washing machine” said Beth.  
“Yep life was a lot easier back then” mused Max.  
“Yeah washing machines, dryers..” said Beth wistfully.  
“TV, internet, food delivered to the door” added Max.  
They both paused as they began remembering the days before the dead roamed the earth and Beth smiled sadly at him.  
“It’s a bit painful to think about isn’t?” said Beth.  
“Yeah a little” agreed Max.  
“Think things will every go back to normal?” she asked.  
“Maybe, you never know” Max replied.  
Beth’s smile brightened and they continued on with their washing. Beth had more to wash than him so he helped her hang them up.  
Beth handed him a piece of her clothing and Max smirked as he saw it was a pair of her panties.  
“Hmm I thought I would have to get you somewhere private to get a pair of these in my hand” said Max teasingly, causing Beth to blush and giggle.  
“Well maybe we can go somewhere private and you can get the panties I’m wearing now in your hand” she suggested seductively.  
“Damm miss Greene, ok” said Max and Beth giggled again.  
They quickly washed and hung up the rest of the clothes and Beth gave him a little smile.  
“So what now?” she asked teasingly.  
Max was about to answer when he noticed Glenn walking towards them.  
“Hey guys” Glenn said cautiously, when he had reached them.  
“Yes?, something we can help you with?” snapped Beth coldly and Glenn’s face fell slightly  
“Um yeah, I just wanted to come apologise to you two” said Glenn humbly.  
“Did you?, or is Maggie making you?” Beth asked suspiciously.  
Glenn looked even more crestfallen, Beth didn’t seem to care what Glenn had to say but Max wanted to hear him out.  
“No she doesn’t know I’m here I just wanted to say I was wrong, I now know that it was a terrible decision to make” Glenn explained.  
“Well it was, didn’t Maggie tell you not to do anything?” Beth asked.  
“Yes she did but I thought I was protecting you and was doing it for Maggie and your father” he replied.  
Beth just shook her head but stayed silent and Glenn continued on.  
“I didn’t know Rick was going to shoot you Max, I thought we were just going to talk” said Glenn.  
Glenn did look genuinely sorry for his actions and Max respected him for owning up and trying to make amends.  
“I believe you Glenn, it’s ok” said Max.  
Glenn looked immensely relieved, he shuffled his feet for a moment before nodding at them both and walked off.  
“I’m still not forgiving him just yet” Beth warned when Glenn was out of earshot.  
“Wouldn’t expect you to but he is trying though” said Max.  
“Yeah I guess” Beth admitted.  
Beth sighed heavily and Max knew he needed to cheer her up.  
“Come on, how bout we go do something fun” he suggested and her face lit up.  
“Oh like go somewhere private perhaps?” she said teasingly.  
“Hmm perhaps” he shot back and Beth giggled.  
There didn’t seem to be an urge to follow up on the suggestion, they were both just teasing each other and Max was satisfied he had cheered her up.  
“I’m thirsty, let’s get a drink” said Beth.  
Max nodded and began following her inside. They both grabbed some water and sat in the empty mess and began talking about what they missed from the world before again.  
They had been talking for what seemed like ages when Patrick and Karen walked into the mess. Karen smiled brightly at them and Max saw Beth blush.  
“Hey there you two” said Karen teasingly.  
“Hi Karen” said Beth.  
“Hi Max, Hi Beth” said Patrick warmly.  
“Hi Patrick how are you?” asked Beth.  
“Very good Beth, are you going to help us with dinner?” he asked.  
“Is it our turn?” Beth asked looking at Karen.  
“Yes but don’t worry, you’ve been though a lot in the past couple of days, we can handle it and Carol said she would help” assured Karen.  
“No I’ll help” said Beth, looking at Max.  
“Go, I’ll find something to entertain myself” ensured Max.  
Beth nodded, gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and stood up to help with the dinner preparations. Max stood up as well and walked back to his cell, bumping into Carl.  
“Hi Max” he said quietly.  
“Carl” said Max in greeting and Carl gave him a troubled look.  
“You’re not still angry at my dad are you?” Carl asked worriedly.  
“I may not be happy he shot me but I’m not looking for revenge Carl” Max assured him and a relieved look appeared on Carl’s face.  
“He was just trying to protect Beth, he um thought you were taking advantage of her or something” said Carl.  
Max knew Carl was just trying to defend his father as any son would do and Max wasn’t going to hold it against the kid.  
“And what do you think?” Max asked gently, curious what Carl thought of his relationship with Beth.  
“I’m ok with you and Beth, she really likes you” he replied.  
“Thanks mate” said Max.  
“And you’re not that much older than her I guess” said Carl and gave Max a grin.  
“Oh yeah?” Max asked.  
Carl just grinned again, Max chuckled at him and ruffled the kid’s hair.  
“Hey thanks for the comics by the way” Max then said.  
“No worries, I’ve got more if you want to read them" said Carl.  
“I might just take up that offer and I’ll look for more on the next run” Max promised.  
Carl nodded and the two parted ways, Carl into the mess and Max to his cell.  
A little while later Max walked outside to collect their clothes and found them nice and dry. He was placing them in a basket when Carol and Julie walked by.  
“Nice to see a man who will do his own washing” said Julie, giving him a smile.  
“Well it’s either that or just wear a sack” Max joked.  
The two woman laughed and kept walking. Max placed the last of the dry clothes in the basket and took it inside to sort it.  
As he finished separating his and Beth’s clothes it was time for dinner and he wandered into the mess for dinner. He sat down with Hershel and Maggie as Beth, Karen and Patrick began to serve up.  
When everyone had their food, Beth joined the table.  
Glenn walked up and gave them a hopeful look. Max thought Beth would have a problem but she nodded and Glenn sat down, giving her a grateful smile. Beth didn’t return it and the message was clear, she was only tolerating him and nothing more.  
“Max, are you up for going out on a run tomorrow?” said Hershel as they began to eat and Max sensed Beth tense beside him at the question.  
“Yeah sure” he replied.  
“You certain Max?, I know it has been a few of days but you were shot” said Maggie.  
Max’s shoulder was still a little sore but he had full use of his left arm and his primary shooting hand was his right, so he was more than operational.  
“I’m good to go” he assured them.  
“Your shoulder could be a liability though” said Hershel.  
“That’s understandable but I know my limitations, I have been shot before and this is nothing, I’ve been shot numerous times, stabbed multiple times, burned, almost blown up, thrown from moving vehicles, hit by moving vehicles and electrocuted, so when I say I’m good to go, I’m good to go” he said.  
Everyone at the table exchanged looks and then Hershel chuckled.  
“Ok Max if you think you’re ready, we are thinking of sending a team back to the mall” said Hershel  
“Sounds good” said Max.  
They finished off dinner and the group talked for a while before slowly moved off to bed and elsewhere. Max and Beth retired as well and before he could ask if she was sleeping the night in his cell again, she walked in with him.  
“Sleeping here again?” he asked with a grin.  
Beth nodded as she undressed and slipped onto the bed. Max could tell something was troubling her and guessed she was most likely uneasy about him going out on the run.  
“Are you sure you’re ready to go out on a run?” she asked before he could say anything.  
“I’ll be fine Beth, this is what I’m good at” he assured her.  
“Ok but you don’t have to go just because you good at it, you’re still healing Max” she said.  
“I know, but I need to get back to my duties and helping the group” he said.  
Beth looked like she wanted to say more but just nodded  
“Hey I’m going to be ok, I’m pretty unkillable you know” he boasted, giving her a grin.  
Beth rolled her eyes but a little smile appeared on her face.  
“Yeah I guess you might be” she said admittedly.  
Max gave her a soft kiss, she then lay her head on his chest and they both soon drifted off to sleep.  
When he woke he found Beth staring at him and Max wondered how long she had been awake for.  
“Hey” she said  
“Hey” he said back.  
“Sleep ok?” she asked.  
“Yeah not bad, you?” he replied.  
She nodded her response and Max sensed she something on her mind, he guessed it might still have something to do with the run that day again.  
“Still worried about today?” he asked.  
“A little but that’s not what I’m thinking about” she replied.  
“Oh?” he asked and a nervous smile appeared on her face.  
“Max um I was thinking that maybe I could move some of my things in here” she said, her voice hopeful.  
Max grinned at her, that sounded perfect to him and would have planned on asking himself soon anyway.  
“Yeah I would love that Beth” he said.  
Her face lit up and and she smiled happily, giving him a deep kiss. She looked so happy now and Max almost considered not going on the run so he could spend the entire day with her.  
They soon got up, got dressed and headed into the mess for breakfast, joining everyone else.  
Max ate a quick breakfast and then gathered his gear. He was putting on his vest and checking the spare clips when Beth appeared.  
“If only you were wearing this when Rick shot you” she said, patting his vest.  
He was about to agree when Daryl poked his head into the cell.  
“Hey Max you ready to go?” he asked.  
“Yeah mate” Max  
Max and Beth followed Daryl outside, the run group was almost ready to go and were throwing their gear into the run vehicles.  
Max stowed his own gear away into the Bushmaster and walked to the drivers side. Beth stopped him before he climbed up, giving him another apprehensive look.  
“You come back to me safe ok?” she said and he promised he would.  
She then rose up on her toes and kissed him. As she dropped down, Rick walked up with his gear and Beth made a bee line for him.  
“If anything happens to him, I’ll hold you responsible” she said fiercely.  
Rick just stared at her and then glanced at Max before giving Beth a nod. Beth seemed satisfied with his response and then with one last look at Max, she walked off back inside. The run group seemed a little stunned but then quickly snapped out of it.  
Max climbed into the Bushmaster as Sasha climbed into the passenger seat. Sasha smiled at him as he fired up the engine.  
“What?” he asked.  
“That girl has some fire in her, remind me never to piss her off” Sasha replied.  
“Yeah you don’t want to get on her bad side” said Max.  
“You’re telling me, I thought she was going to tear Rick’s head off that night in the mess” said Sasha.  
Max just nodded in agreement and then proceeded to drive out through the main gates as the others followed.  
Half and hour later they were powering down the road, on their way to the mall.  
“Ok looks like we take the next left” said Sasha.  
Sasha was pouring over a map on her lap, checking their route as they had chosen a different way.  
“Copy that” said Max.  
They came to the turn and Max took it, making sure the others followed before driving on.  
“So how are you and Beth doing?” Sasha asked, making conversation.  
“Yeah real good” he replied.  
“Hmm I’ll bet, she’s been hanging out in your cell a lot I heard” she said teasingly.  
“We mostly just talk” he said.  
“Just talk huh?” Sasha asked  
“Yup just talk all night” he replied and Sasha laughed and shook her head.  
“So what does Hershel think of Beth sleeping in your bed, I know he’s fine with you being together but is he fine with you ‘sleeping’ together?” she asked and Max coughed awkwardly and didn’t say anything  
“Ok touchy subject, I’ll shut up now” said Sasha, seeing the look on his face.  
Max wasn’t sure how Hershel felt about Beth sleeping in his bunk and with her wanting to move in permanently he wondered just how alright Hershel was going to be about it.  
The group reached the mall with no trouble and drove around to the loading dock. A dozen walkers were stumbling around the dock and began to move towards them. Max gunned the engine and took out half of the them, their bodies crushed under the Bushmaster.  
The rest were taken down quickly and silently as the group jumped from the vehicles. Max stepped down from the Bushmaster, chambering a round in his rifle and readied for more but no more threats appeared.  
He noticed a pick up truck parked in the dock, that wasn’t there the last time. It was half full with goods and a trolley on the dock was also full with food. Several dead walkers were on the dock and Max saw spent casings littered on the ground.  
“Must have been overrun” mused Daryl, picking up a dropped pistol from a torn apart body.  
“Alright lets get inside and see what’s left” suggested Max.  
They all agreed, Max and Daryl took point and they entered the mall from the loading dock. They came across a few more walkers who had found their way inside but the rest of the mall appeared empty.  
They made their way into the supermarket and everyone switched on their flash lights, coming prepared this time.  
The group split up again like last time and filled carts with food and goods, then pushed their full carts back to the dock. After they spent the next few hours getting everything they could, they decided to utilise the pick up. Max also managed to get one of the long abandoned box trucks going and they began loading all the vehicles up.  
The group was just about finished loading up when they were alerted by snarls and four walkers appeared from around one of the trucks, two grabbing Rick, forcing him to the ground.  
Max reacted first, quickly drawing his pistol and dropped all four in almost instant succession. Max walked up to Rick and held out his hand as Rick shoved the now dead walkers off him. Rick looked up at him with surprise for a second and then took Max’s offered hand, letting Max pull him to his feet.  
“You good?” Max asked and Rick nodded.  
“Geeze Max that was some pretty fine shooting there” said Sasha.  
“Well I wouldn’t be special forces if I couldn’t shoot” said Max humbly.  
“Think you could teach me how to shoot like that?” Sasha asked.  
“Sure I can do that” Max promised.  
Max decided to call it before more walkers turned up and the group made ready to depart. Daryl commandeered the truck, Bob and Sasha the pick up and the others in the vehicles they came in  
Max was about to climb into the Bushmaster when Rick walked up.  
“Mind if I ride shotgun?” asked Rick.  
Max looked at him surprise and then shrugged.  
“Yeah sure” said Max.  
Rick nodded and climbed into the passenger side. Maggie gave Max a look but didn’t say anything and walked round the back of the Bushmaster.  
Max got in and began to lead their convoy back to the prison. It was about half an hour down the road when Rick finally spoke up.  
“Thanks for that, back there” he said  
“Don’t mention it” said Max.  
There was another silence but Max sensed Rick was about to say more.  
“Look Max I’m willing to admit I may have been overzealous shooting you” said Rick  
“You think” said Max, throwing Rick a glance and Rick grimaced.  
“Ok I deserve that” said Rick  
“Yeah you probably do but I get why you did it, you thought you were protecting Beth and I might have done the same in your position” said Max.  
Rick just nodded and didn’t say anything. Max heard Maggie cough in the back and suspected those in the back were listening to every word.  
“She’s young Max” said Rick.  
“I’m well aware of that Rick, but I can’t help how I feel about her” said Max.  
“You love her?” Rick then asked.  
“Yeah I do” replied Max without hesitation.  
Rick nodded, falling silent again and Max sensed he would not expect any grief from Rick any more.  
The rest of trip back to the prison was uneventful and without any trouble, making it back by late afternoon.  
Max drove through the gate as it was opened and parked the Bushmaster in the courtyard. He stepped down from the vehicle and saw Beth appear from inside the cell block, quickly running up to him. She jumped into his arms and kissed him passionately.  
“Hey there” he said with a grin, enjoying the greeting.  
“How did it go?” she asked as he dropped her back to the ground.  
She looked excited and Max wondered what had happened while he was away.  
“Yeah real good” he replied.  
“No trouble?” she asked and Max glanced at Rick, who was now talking with Hershel and Carol.  
“Well we ran into some walkers but nothing we couldn’t handle” Max replied.  
“Ok but no trouble?” she said with more emphasis, looking at Rick.  
“No none at all” he assured.  
“Well good” she said.  
“So anything happen here?” he asked  
“You could say that” she replied with a grin.  
“Yeah?” he asked.  
“I have a surprise for you” she said excitedly.  
She took his hand and led him to his cell. She paused outside the door and Max stepped in cautiously and then smiled.  
The cell now was unrecognisable, the once bare walls were covered in the little drawings and pictures from her cell. The plain white sheets had now been replaced by more colourful ones and the desk was filled with some of the cute little items she had in her cell.  
“Like it?” she asked worriedly  
“Yeah looks great Beth” he said  
“It’s not too much is it?, we um can change...” she trailed off, looking worried.  
“Its perfect Beth, don’t want to change a thing” he said.  
“Ok I thought I might have gone a little overboard” she said, sounding relieved.  
“Its great Beth I love it all” he assured her.  
Her face lit up and she smiled happily at him and he grinned back. He pulled off his vest and gun belt and placed them over the chair as Beth gave him a little smile.  
“So did you miss me while you were out there?” she asked  
“I sure did” he replied.  
“Yeah?, you couldn’t wait to get back to me?” she asked, running her fingers up his arm.  
They were inches apart and energy radiated between them. Beth looked up at him with lust in her eyes and Max gazed lustfully back.  
“Do you want me Max?” she whispered.  
Before he could answer she drew his privacy curtain across and pulled him to the bed. Beth ripped her boots off and lay back on the bunk as Max did the same.  
Max began to kiss her lustfully and Beth tugged at his shirt, sliding it up his body. He let her pull it off him and then he reached for her top.  
Beth just watched him as eased it up over her breasts and let out a little gasp as he leant down and gently kissed one of them.  
“Oh Max” she whispered.  
He edged his hand down her stomach and was about to slip his hand into her shorts when a voice from outside the cell shattered the moment.  
“Beth are you in there?” asked Hershel.  
“Oh my god” Beth whispered and quickly pulled her top down.  
“Bethie?” he called again.  
“Yes daddy I’m here, just give me a second” she called.  
Beth gave Max a mortified look, quickly smoothed her clothes and pulled on her boots.  
“What’s up daddy?” she asked, peeking her head out  
“I need you to help the others sort out what was brought back” Max heard Hershel say.  
“Ok daddy” said Beth.  
Max pulled his boots on and joined Beth and Hershel. Hershel’s eyes wandered from Max and Beth, most likely knowing exactly what they had been up to. Beth’s face was still burning red and she quickly walked away.  
“Hershel I..” Max began.  
“It’s ok Max” Hershel said softly and then followed after Beth.  
Max felt dirty and decided he needed to be a bit more discrete when it came to being intimate with Beth.  
He walked back outside and began helping the others carry the boxes and crates of stuff they had recovered from the mall.  
Max saw Beth with Carol, Sasha, Maggie and several others as they started to sort through everything. Beth gave him a flustered little smile and Max walked over.  
“So that was kinda embarrassing” said Beth quietly to him.  
“Yeah kinda was” said Max in agreement but gave her a grin.  
Beth smiled back and Max began to help her and the others sort everything. They both kept grinning at each other as they worked and Max could tell she wanted to duck away and finish what they had started just as badly as he did. He finally had enough and grabbed her hand.  
“Come on” he said quietly.  
Nobody noticed or minded as he pulled her from the room and led her to the prison laundry room.  
It was the perfect spot for what he had in mind and had used the room before for one of their numerous covert meetings.  
Max closed the door and Beth hopped up on one of the washing machines.  
“Hmm if only we could get these working again” she said  
“Yeah if only” said Max.  
“You don’t really care about that, do you?” she asked teasingly  
“Not in the slightest” he said and Beth giggled.  
Max stepped into her and pressed his lips to hers, running his fingers through her hair. It was like a flood gate being opened and there was no turning back  
Max tore his shirt off as Beth pulled off hers and Max began to kiss her neck. He palmed one of her now naked breasts and she let out an loud moan. He didn’t need to tell her to be quiet now and he wanted to hear her.  
“That’s it Beth moan for me” he growled.  
“Oh Max I want you inside me” Beth begged  
“My fingers or my cock” he asked.  
“Both, please I need you so bad” she pleaded  
Max chuckled and happily obliged her. He ripped off her boots, shorts and soaked underwear and gazed lustfully at her naked body.  
“God you’re so beautiful Beth” he whispered.  
“Touch me Max, please don’t tease me” she begged.  
She was already dripping and wouldn’t need much to bring her off. He pressed his hand to her pussy slipping a finger inside and rubbed her clit with his thumb.  
“Mmm yes oh god yes” she moaned.  
Max slid another finger into her and Beth closed her eyes and biting her lip as she began to shake. he thrust his fingers into her gushing snatch and her moans echoed off the walls.  
Max knew she was close and sure enough, her legs clamped around her hand and she orgasmed, collapsing against him and panting  
As her orgasm crested through her, Max undid his pants and pulled his cock free. He barely let her recover before lining himself up and thrust into her.  
Beth let out gasp and then a satisfied sigh as he bottomed out. Her pussy gripped him tightly and he let out a groan as he began to move in and out of her.  
“Oh yes Max so good, fuck me” she moaned.  
“Yeah Beth you want me to fuck you ?” he growled.  
“Yes Max fuck me” she pleaded  
He sped up his thrusts, groaning as she took every inch of him and palming one of her breasts again.  
“Max oh my god I’m going to cum again” she said  
Max continued to fuck her with reckless abandon and soon felt a rush of liquid bust from her as another orgasm crashed through her body  
“Ohh Max oh my god” she groaned.  
Max paused inside her as she rode out her climax, he was still hard as steel but was close to cumming as well.  
“You close Max?” Beth asked.  
“Yeah real close” he replied.  
Beth smiled and pushed him away. Max slid from her and she hopped off the washing machine to kneel in front of him. She grasped his cock and then took into her mouth. The moment her lips touched his cock, he was done for and flooded her mouth.  
Beth sucked him clean and wiped her lips with a smile. Max leant back in the washing machine, exhausted and gave Beth a smile.  
“Well miss Greene, I think that might be our hottest so far” he said.  
Beth giggled and stood up and kissed him, still naked but for the necklace hanging between her breasts. He wished they could stay naked but they couldn’t and he pulled up his pants. Beth followed suit and grabbed her discarded clothes to put them back on.  
They decided to go take a shower to wash off their newly accumulated sweat and to cool off.  
As they walked back to the cell, nobody had missed their absence and Max and Beth grabbed their shower things.  
They found the shower room empty and Beth gave him a mischievous smile. Before he could ask what she was smiling about, she pulled him into one of the stalls and Max knew being discrete was only just going to get more difficult.


	62. Chapter 62

Beth sang softly as she rocked Judith in her arms. The girl was a little cranky so Beth was calming her down before she fed her.  
Beth’s singing was working and Judith became calmer, soothed by Beth’s voice. Beth didn’t mind taking care of Judith despite her problems with Judith’s father, she still hadn’t forgiven Rick for shooting Max but her anger was fading a little every day.  
Satisfied Judith was calm enough, Beth carried her into the mess. The room was empty except for Carol, who smiled brightly as she saw Beth and Judith.  
“Hey there you two” said Carol.  
“Hi Carol” said Beth.  
“She being fussy again?” Carol asked, looking at Judith.  
“A little” answered Beth.  
“Hmm, well young lady it might be time to get you fed and put you down for a nap” said Carol, taking Judith from Beth.  
Beth retrieved a jar of baby food and a spoon as Carol sat down. Beth opened the jar and scooped a spoonful, handing it to Carol.  
“Ok Judy its pear and apple today” said Carol.  
Judith was resistant at first but then allowed Carol to feed her with no more fight.  
“So where’s the other half?, I was beginning to think you two were joined at the hip” said Carol to Beth, giving her a teasing look..  
Beth blushed, it had been close to two weeks since Max had been shot, his wound had healed, their relationship had strengthened and the two of them were now even more inseparable.  
A lot had happened in the passing weeks, Glenn had stepped down from the council, leaving an empty spot which had been offered to Max. Max declined but had accepted the role of run leader instead.  
“I think he’s helping daddy with something” Beth answered.  
Carol smiled and continued to feed Judith while Beth helped. When Judith was fed, Carol put her down for a nap and Beth went to the cell she now shared with Max, wanting to catch up on her journal entries.  
The cell was far different since she had first moved in, Beth had done most of the decorating but Max had done the bigger changes. He had removed the top bunk and then used it to widen the bottom bunk so the both of them could sleep more comfortably.  
Beth loved sleeping next to Max, feeling his strong arms wrapped around her body, keeping her safe during the night and Beth didn’t think she could get to sleep without him next to her now.  
Beth picked up her journal along with her favourite pen and lay down on the bed. She kicked off her boots, got herself comfortable and began to write.  
She was almost finished the day’s entry when Max walked in, giving her a grin.  
“Hey beautiful” he said  
“Hey yourself” she said back.  
Max got on the bed beside her and gave her a kiss. He was slightly sweaty from whatever he had been helping her father with and Beth had to admit was a little turned on by his scent.  
“You finished helping daddy?” she asked him.  
“Yeah all done so thought I’d check up on my girl” he replied.  
“Oh?, I need checking up on do I?” she asked teasingly.  
“Yeah just making sure you’re not getting into any mischief” he replied.  
“And what kind of mischief could I be getting into?, I’m just catching up on my journal” said Beth smiling innocently at him, he grinned back and Beth giggled  
“Writing about me?” he then asked, peering at her journal.  
Beth pushed him away before he could read anything and snapped the journal closed.  
“I’m afraid that’s classified” she teased.  
“Is that so?, I don’t have clearance?” he asked.  
“Nope” she answered and then giggled.  
“No?, can’t see what you’re writing about me?” he growled.  
“Nope” she repeated and he raised his eyebrow  
Beth just grinned at him and she got off the bed to put her journal back in it’s place on the desk. As she did, Max pulled her back onto the bed and she let out a little squeal.  
“Well I guess you can keep your secrets, for now” he said.  
He began to tickle her, running his hands over her body and she burst into giggles until she begged him to stop. She lay panting, her sides aching from laughing and Max just grinned down at her.  
“You’re pretty ticklish you know that” he said.  
“Oh?, well maybe you’re ticklish as well” she said.  
Beth tickled his side, hoping to get a reaction but Max didn’t even flinch, just kept smiling at her.  
“Hey no fair” Beth pouted.  
“Sorry babe you won’t be able to break me that easily” he said and Beth rolled her eyes.  
“Oh is that so mr tough guy?” she said.  
“Yeah pretty much miss Greene” he whispered in her ear  
His voice sent tingles through her body and they increased as he began to kiss her neck.  
“I thought I wasn’t allowed to get into any mischief” Beth said teasingly.  
“I think we can make an exception” he said  
He continued to kiss her neck, placed his hand on her stomach and Beth sighed happily.  
“Anywhere you need to be?” he whispered in her ear.  
“No I’m all yours” Beth whispered back.  
Even if she did, Beth wasn’t going anywhere and she trembled with excitement as Max began to slip his hand up her top. Max palmed one of her breasts, rubbing his thumb over her nipple and Beth bit her lip to prevent herself from moaning too loudly.  
She had gotten better at keeping her noises to a minimum when they had sex in the cell, even though it was their private space Beth still wanted to be discreet. It was different story when they were somewhere they couldn’t be disturbed and Beth would moan to her hearts content.  
“Oh Max” she whispered.  
Max eased her top up and Beth let him pull it off her. Beth smiled up at him as he ran his hand over her now naked breasts. Max lent down and began to gently kiss her breasts and Beth closed her eyes.  
She more than enjoyed the intense, rougher moments when they fucked with reckless abandon but she loved these gentle intimate moments more. She loved how soft and tender Max could be, the way he touched and kissed her excited her to no end.  
Max’s hand trailed down her stomach, slipping into the waist of her jeans and probed into her panties.  
“So wet” he whispered.  
“You make me so wet Max” she whispered back.  
“Yeah?” he asked.  
Beth nodded and pulled his mouth back to her lips, kissing him passionately. Max hand continued to rub her pussy until Beth needed more than just his fingers.  
Max seemed to sense her want and tugged at her jeans. Beth wiggled her hips to let him pull them off her and tossed her jeans to the floor. Max ripped off his shirt, tossing it to the floor as well and then ran his hands up her legs, spreading them as he went. He began kissing up her inner thighs, till he reached where her legs met.  
He rubbed his fingers over her aching mound and began to kiss her softly through her panties until she could take no more.  
“Please Max, please” she begged.  
Max chuckled, easing her panties down her legs and they quickly joined her jeans. Beth smiled lustfully at him, spreading her legs again and beckoned him in as she rubbed herself.  
Max grinned and lowered his mouth onto her naked waiting pussy. Beth let out a delighted noise and gripped the sheets in her hands as Max began to work his magic between her legs.  
“Oh god yes” she whispered softly.  
She placed her hand on his head and arched her back, trying to get more of her pussy into his mouth. His tongue probed deep into her and Beth felt an inevitable orgasm build up.  
“Max please don’t stop, oh it feels so good” she moaned softly.  
Max didn’t let up and Beth grabbed her pillow to muffle her scream as waves of pleasure crashed through her.  
Max pulled his mouth from her and she rolled on her side, panting and trembling as her orgasm ebbed through her body. Max slid up beside her and wrapped his arm around her. She felt his cock press up against her and she wanted it inside her.  
She pushed him on his back and straddled him, quickly undoing his belt and freeing his cock. Beth stroked him, making sure he was nice and hard before lowering herself down onto him.  
Beth let out a satisfied moan as his cock filled her and would never tire of the feeling of him inside her.  
She enjoyed being on top, having all the power and began to ride him. He palmed one of her breasts and she smiled lustfully at him. Beth took his other hand guided his fingers to her pussy.  
The combined pleasures was almost too much, his hand on her breast, his fingers on her clit and his thick cock stretching her teen pussy was going to bring her to another massive orgasm.  
“Oh god oh Max I’m going to cum” she moaned.  
“Then cum Beth” he said back.  
“Are you close too?” she asked.  
“So close baby, so close” he groaned.  
Beth sped up her movements, trying to force as much of her gushing pussy down on his cock. It worked and her impeding orgasm exploded through her.  
Beth collapsed against him and crushed her mouth to his to once again muffle her scream. Max held her tightly and she felt him continue to move inside her, extending her orgasm.  
“I’m going to cum Beth” he groaned.  
Beth nodded, lifting herself up, he slipped from her with a wet pop and Beth manoeuvred quickly to take his cock into her mouth.  
Beth had gotten very skilled at sucking Max and went down on him often. She loved knowing it was her giving him pleasure and Beth never failed to satisfy.  
It didn’t take long for Beth to bring him off and Beth swallowed down his cum, licking off the excess combined juices on his shaft. Beth held Max’s drooping cock in her hand and he just grinned at her. Beth giggled and wiped her mouth.  
“Well that was fucking amazing once again” he said and she giggled again.  
She snuggled up to him and sighed happily. She wished they lay there all day but they couldn’t and got dressed and wandered outside.  
As they walked out into the afternoon sun, they spotted Maggie, Sasha and several other woman chatting and laughing together as they sat at the outdoor BBQ area.  
“Hey Beth, come join us” said Maggie, calling out to Beth.  
Beth gave Max a look but he smiled and nudged her.  
“Go on I’ll be fine” he assured her.  
Beth smiled and walked over to Maggie and the others, taking a seat next to Maggie and waited for the woman to continue talking but they all just gave her little smiles.  
“What?” she asked, now concerned.  
“Nothing, you look like you just had some fun” said Sasha.  
Beth blushed bright red and the woman all laughed, confirming their suspicions. She knew they were just teasing her but it still embarrassing. It was no secret that she and Max were having sex but that didn’t mean it was up for public ridicule Beth thought.  
“So what’s he like?” asked one of the woman.  
“Huh?” Beth asked  
“Oh come on Beth you can tell us, what’s the man from down under like between the sheets?” she asked more blatantly.  
Beth felt trapped as they all looked at her, she didn’t really want to reveal any private details, especially to them, she barely opened up to Maggie and Beth gave her a pleading look.  
“Ok girls, leave her alone” said Maggie, coming to her sisters rescue and Beth gave her a grateful smile.  
“Sorry Beth we are just teasing” said Sasha softly, placing her hand on Beth’s shoulder.  
Beth nodded but didn’t say anything and one of the others spoke up.  
“We are just a little curious, all we have is Julie’s drunken one night stand story and we just wanted to know what Max is really like” explained one of them.  
Beth realised even though they were teasing her, they were also treating her like one of them, like an adult and Beth decided to indulge them.  
“Well um he’s really good” Beth said softly, blushed, looked down at her hands and they all laughed again.  
“Hmm I bet he is” said another of the women  
The women seemed satisfied with Beth’s little titbit of information and the subject changed with Sasha become the focus of the conversation, the women wanting to know about what was happening between her and Bob. It was Sasha’s turn to avoid the questions and Beth was relived it wasn’t her.  
Sasha revealed she and Bob were taking things slow and deftly avoided further questions and the women moved onto another subject.  
Beth smiled as the women talked but it faded slightly when she saw Glenn walk up. Like Rick, Beth still hadn’t completely forgiven Glenn but he was making amends and Beth was trying her hardest for Maggie’s sake.  
“Hello ladies” said Glenn  
“Well hello there” said Sasha.  
Glenn smiled at them all, it disappeared when he looked at Beth but she nodded at him and he gave her a relieved expression. The others didn’t notice the exchange but Beth felt Maggie squeeze her arm and she gave Beth a grateful look.  
Beth gave Maggie a bright smile in return. Maggie and Glenn walked off and Beth quickly excused herself as well. She bumped into Daryl as he was exiting the cell block and she smiled politely at him.  
“You going on a hunt?” she asked, seeing his crossbow over his shoulder.  
“Yeah, picked up some deer track gonna see if I find it” he explained.  
Beth nodded, it had been a while since they had eaten venison and hoped Daryl was successful. She wished the hunter luck, he nodded and they parted ways.  
Beth spent the rest of the day completing her chores, doing some reading and helping others with their duties until it was time for dinner.  
The mess was bustling as she walked in and she took a seat next to Max. The dinner crew served up and Beth smiled as the pasta meal was ladled into her bowl.  
It was made from tinned tomatoes, seasoned with basil from the garden and smelt amazing. Beth ate some and smiled at the taste. She looked at Max as he ate some of his and she shifted closer to him  
“Remember the first time we had pasta together?” she whispered softly in his ear.  
“Nah, when did we have pasta?” he asked.  
Beth’s eyes widened in shock, thinking he had forgotten their first night they met but she saw his lips curl into a teasing smile and realised he was messing with her.  
“Oh haha, you remember” she said  
Max grinned and and Beth giggled, drawing the attention of the others at the table.  
“What are you two giggling about?” asked Maggie  
“Nothing” said Beth  
Her father raised his eyebrow and smiled, as did Maggie and Glenn but they didn’t ask her to elaborate and they continued eating.  
Her father and Max began to discuss a run to be made and Beth tensed a little. Even though Max had gone out on several runs lately and always came back safe, she still felt uneasy every time the subject was brought up.  
Beth’s father wanted Max to take a crew out on another fuel run, the group still had reserves but the council wanted to make sure they had plenty. Max agreed and promised to organise a run in the next few days.  
Dinner was soon finished off and cleared away. Beth and Max stayed in the mess talking and chatting with others until they decided to turn in for the night.  
They undressed and Beth crawled in next to him. Max put his arm around her and Beth ran her finger over one of his larger scars.  
“This one tonight” she said.  
Max had been slowly revealing the origins of his scars and battle wounds to her, some were trivial like accidents but some were heart wrenching where he had almost died.  
“That one?” he asked and she nodded.  
“Ok I got that in Iraqi, my unit and I were hitching a ride on a convoy, travelling between bases. The convoy was travelling through a town when we came under attack and the vehicle I was in was hit by an I.E.D” he explained.  
“I.E.D?” Beth asked, unfamiliar with the term.  
“An Improvised explosive device, a home made bomb” he explained.  
“Oh” she said, now understanding.  
“It was buried in the street and it went off as we drove past, killing the three soldiers I was riding with and sending a piece of shrapnel into my lung”  
“Oh Max” Beth whispered.  
“Yeah I passed out pretty much instantly, but was quickly rescued as the others subdued the attackers and I woke up three days later in an army hospital with this” he said.  
Beth hated hearing about the sufferings Max had gone through but it was the risk she took wanting to find out how he got his scars. She gave him a small smile, taking his hand and kissing it.  
“Bit of a downer huh?” he said  
“No, I mean yeah but it was in the past and I’m just glad you survived it” she replied.  
She smiled at him again and Max smiled back, placing a soft kiss on her lips. Beth snuggled closer into him, he pulled the sheet over them and they both closed their eyes, letting sleep take them.  
Beth and Max woke refreshed the next morning, ready for the day. They had a quick breakfast and then headed out into the warm morning sun to start their daily workout.  
Their training sessions had became a normal occurrence again and now had began a group thing, the children always attended and some adults had even begun to join.  
Beth felt a tiny bit of jealousy that she wasn’t working out with Max alone any more but their self defence and weapon training were still one on one so she couldn’t be too jealous.  
“Ready to get started?” asked Max.  
The kids all shouted yes excitedly and Beth couldn’t help feeling their excitement as well. They began with the usual stretches and Beth smiled when she saw Patrick and Carl walk up. Beth had expected Patrick to join them but she was very surprised at Carl as he usually scoffed when he was invited.  
“Joining us today gentlemen?” asked Max.  
“Yes sir Mr Knight” said Patrick enthusiastically and Carl gave a small nod.  
“Pick a spot” said Max.  
The two boys complied and joined the others in stretching. When Max was satisfied they were good to go, they ran a couple of laps around the perimeter of the field.  
“Ok every one, take a break and then I want to see some sit ups” said Max as they finished the last lap.  
Beth took a swig of water from her bottle and handed it to Maggie who took it gratefully.  
“Thanks” she said.  
When everyone was rested, they all did a series of sit ups, pull ups and push ups under Max’s tutelage until he called the session.  
“Ok guys awesome job, same time tomorrow” said Max.  
The others walked off and Beth kept sitting in the grass, resting before she began her self defence training.  
“Good to go?” Max asked  
“Yeah” she answered.  
He pulled a pair of sparring gloves from the bag he had brought out with them and handed the gloves to her. Beth stood up and put them on while Max pulled on a pair of punch mitts.  
“Ok just like we’ve been practising” he said  
Beth nodded and began punching, throwing her fists into the mitts. They had been training like this for a while now, ever since Max had brought back the gear and Beth quite enjoyed the sessions.  
“That’s it Beth, use your feet” said Max.  
His words of encouragement spurred her on and she kept it up, doing exactly what he instructed until she was sore and tired.  
Beth collapsed back on the grass, panting and Max lay down next to her, handing her a bottle of water. She drunk it down greedily, not caring that it was warm and gave Max a smile.  
“So how I’m I doing” she asked.  
“You’re doing great” he answered with a grin.  
Beth smiled happily back, she knew it was still only training but she felt she would have more of a fighting chance now if and when she had to put her lessons to use.  
She was hot and sweaty now and wanted to change out of her sticky clothes.  
“Come on let’s cool down” she suggested.  
Max nodded in agreement and began packing away their gear into the duffel bag. They headed back inside and retrieved their shower things and some fresh clothes before walking to the shower room.  
They found it empty and Beth gave Max a smile. He just grinned, shaking his head and she pulled him into the stall.  
They quickly undressed and no matter how times she had seen him naked, it still made her weak at the knees.  
“See something you like?” he asked and she giggled.  
“Maybe” she teased.  
She turned on the water and gasped as the cool water cascaded over her body. It was so refreshing and she gave Max a delighted smile.  
“Ohh much better” she said  
“Yeah?” Max asked  
He stepped under the water and she saw him grin too.Beth picked up some soap and began to run it over his chest until he took it from her and did the same to her. He ran the soap across her body and when he slipped it between her legs, she let out a little moan.  
“Like that huh?” he asked  
Beth just giggled and pushed him away, taking the soap back from him. It wasn’t the time or place for that, no matter how much they wanted it.  
Beth picked up a bottle of shampoo and Max made a face.  
“What?” she asked  
“Don’t know Beth, I don’t really want to smell like strawberries” Max replied, reading the label.  
“Oh what’s wrong with smelling like strawberries?” she asked teasingly  
“Well on you it smells fucking amazing but I gotta reputation to uphold, can’t be smelling like strawberries” he replied, Beth just rolled her eyes and handed him the bottle.  
Max took the bottle from her, put some shampoo in his hair and Beth giggled. Max just smirked back and passed the shampoo back to her.  
They finished up showering, got dressed and headed back to the cell block. Beth saw her father talking with Sasha and Carol and they all threw concerned looks as Beth and Max approached.  
“Hi daddy” said Beth.  
“Hello dear, have a nice shower?” he asked, seeing her damp hair and towel.  
“Yeah I did, um what’s going on?” she asked.  
Carol and Sasha exchanged looks but they didn't say anything and her father had a unreadable look on his face. Beth knew her father well enough to know something was up and grew concerned.  
“Daddy?” she pressed.  
“Max may we have a word?” he asked.  
“Yeah sure, no problem” Max answered.  
“What’s going on?” Beth asked more insistently.  
“We just need to talk to Max about something” her father assured her.  
Beth nodded, not entirely convinced by the vague reply but trusted her father. Max gave Beth’s hand a squeeze and she watched him and the others walk away.  
Beth dumped their things in the cell and settled onto the bed. She began to worry what council had to talk to Max about, possible reasons running through her head and decided to paint her nails to take her mind off the matter.  
Beth grabbed the little case of nail polish Max had given her and lay the bottles on the bed. She was trying to decide on which colour when Mika popped her head into the cell with a happy smile on her face.  
“Hi Beth” said Mika happily.  
“Hey Mika, did you have fun today?” Beth asked.  
“Yeah” Mika replied.  
Beth saw Mika’s eyes flash over the nail polish on the bed and a hopeful look appeared on her face  
“Want to paint your nails with me?” Beth offered.  
Mika’s smile widened and she nodded happily. Beth laughed, she patted the bed and Mika slid onto it.  
“Ok what colour would you like?” Beth asked.  
“Um purple” said Mika.  
“Oh good choice” said Beth and handed her the bottle.  
Beth and Mika began painting their nails and chatting happily. Lizzie and the other girls came looking for Mika and asked to join as well.  
Beth invited them in and soon the girls were all giggling and painting each others nails. The girls wanted to know all about Max and Beth, she answered some of their questions but steered clear of the more inappropriate ones, keeping the conversation age friendly.  
Mika was asking one more question about Max when he appeared at the doorway and she blushed, her question dying in her throat.  
“Hello girls, having a slumber party?” he asked and the girls all giggled.  
He smiled at them but Beth could tell something was bothering him and Beth knew it had something to do with what ever her father and the council wanted to talk to him about.  
“Ok girls how bout we stop for the day?” Beth suggested.  
The girls seemed to understand and left without protest, Mika giving Beth a big smile as did.  
“What’s wrong?, what did daddy want to talk to you about?” she asked Max worriedly.  
He didn’t answer and just sat down on the bed next to her.  
“Max?” she pressed, taking his hand  
“It’s about Zach” Max answered and Beth froze.  
“What about him?” Beth asked.  
“The council has voted not to exile him” he said though gritted teeth.  
“Oh” she said quietly.  
“Dr S. says Zach’s leg hasn’t healed properly and probably never will, so your dad and the council thinks exiling him would be a death sentence in itself” explained Max.  
Beth didn’t know what to say, she had put Zach it the part of her mind that contained all her other painful memories and hadn’t given him a second though. Now those memories were flooding back and she wasn’t really sure how to handle them.  
“He’s not going to go near you I can promise you that” said Max.  
“I’m not afraid of him Max” said Beth firmly.  
“And so you shouldn’t be” he said proudly.  
Max took her hand and squeezed her hand in support. Beth smiled at him in thanks, she still felt a little uneasy but Max’s touch helped.  
“Come on its almost lunch time” Max then said.  
He stood up and Beth did the same, pulled on her boots and the two walked into the mess. Beth fully expected to see Zach but thankfully he wasn’t there and she let out the breath she had been holding.  
Beth didn’t see him for the rest of the day either but when she and Max entered the mess for dinner that night, he was sitting at one of the tables.  
The room was only half full but everyone turned to look. Beth noticed her father, Maggie and several others look at them in with concern.  
“H-hi Beth” Zach stammered.  
Beth couldn’t get her brain to work let alone her mouth and just stared at him. Max came along side her and Zach paled even further.  
“What are you doing here?” Max asked, his voice low and threatening.  
Fear filled Zach’s eyes, glancing around the room with a terrified look and Daryl, Tyreese and Rick got up from their their seats, ready for whatever might go down.  
“T-t-they said I could be here” said Zach, his voice cracking.  
“Max, Beth come sit down” called her father, waving them over.  
“Come on Beth” asked Max softly, placing his hand on her arm.  
Beth wanted to just walk away but found herself unable to move. There was a tense silence in the room as Beth glared Zach and she felt her hands bunch up. She wanted to punch him, to hit him with all her strength and show him just how much he had hurt her but she took a deep breath and relaxed her fists.  
“Beth I-I-I’m very sorry for what I did” Zach then choked out.  
“You should be,what you did to me Zach was unforgivable” said Beth fiercely  
“I am sorry, so sorry I know I can make up for what I did and I promise I’ll never do anything like that to anyone again” he said.  
Beth believed his words, he was trembling, almost in tears and Beth pitied him. She then turned and walked away without another word. As she did, she turned back to see Max pause and lean down to whisper something in Zach’s ear before following her.  
“What did you say to him?” Beth asked as they sat down at the table with her father.  
“Told him I would I would kill him very painfully if he even looks at you again” Max replied and Beth’s father cleared his throat.  
“Now Max, while I do appreciate you protecting my daughter that’s not what we discussed” he said softly.  
“Yeah I know, just want to put absolute fear in him” Max explained  
Beth’s father nodded but didn’t say anything else and Maggie squeezed Beth’s hand. The room stayed hushed until dinner was served and then room filled with conversation.  
“You ok?” Max asked her.  
She glanced over at Zach, who was staring down at his plate not making eye contact with anyone and not talking to anyone. Beth felt an immense sense of justice and satisfaction and turned back to Max.  
“Yeah I think I am” she said with conviction.  
“That’s my girl” said Max.  
Beth smiled happily and she really was ok. She had an wonderful man and a family who loved her and an amazing group of people who supported each other and though Zach may have brought back some painful memories but he was no longer the monster who attacked her, he was now just a pathetic, broken shadow and Beth would never have to fear him again.


	63. Chapter 63

“We need to talk to you about something”..  
The words echoed through Max’s head and knew whatever it was couldn’t be good. The last time the council had asked to speak to him, they had revealed Glenn had stepped down and they wanted Max to fill the role. It was a tempting offer but Max had turned them down, preferring to do what he was good at. Hershel and the others understood this and offered Max the duty of being in charge of runs, to pick whoever and to plan and carry out runs his way. Max had accepted and had led several successful runs over the past weeks. He had picked his crew, choosing the most experienced. The group had been surprised when he had included Glenn and Rick but they had experience and Max wasn’t one to hold a grudge.  
Now the council wanted to discuss something with him again. Max followed Hershel, Carol and Sasha to the council meeting room, finding Daryl already waiting and to Max’s surprise, Dr S. Everyone took their seats and Max looked at Hershel expectantly.  
“Now Max I know you didn’t want a seat on the council but the others and I think that you need to be included in this matter” Hershel explained.  
“What’s going on?” Max asked.  
“Caleb needs to talk to us about Zach” replied Hershel.  
Dr S. coughed uncomfortably and Max turned to him.  
“Zach’s leg isn’t healing right, I never had the tools to set it properly” the doctor explained.  
“Can he walk?” asked Sasha.  
“Well yes but not well” Dr S. replied.  
“He’s lucky he can walk at all” said Max and the doctor coughed awkwardly again.  
“I know what Zach did and I’m not here to defend his actions but I’m just wondering what your plans are for him” explained the doctor.  
There was an awkward silence as the council members looked at each other before Hershel spoke up.  
“He wouldn’t survive long out there alone” he said softly.  
“You’re suggesting we let him stay, let him walk free about the prison?” Sasha asked.  
“Well I’m not exactly happy about it either but we are not executioners and we would be killing him if we send him away” reasoned Hershel.  
Max just stayed silent but couldn’t keep the scowl off his face.  
“We should put it to a vote” Carol suggested.  
The council voted, Daryl voted to exile him but Sasha and Carol were swayed by Hershel's reasoning and voted for Zach to stay.  
“Ok then it is settled, Zach stays but he is going to have to earn his stay” said Hershel.  
Max scowled, he didn’t like the idea of Zach having free roam of the prison and would have preferred he stay in whatever dark hole they had been keeping him in but the council had made their decision.  
“He doesn’t go near Beth” Max growled.  
“No he won’t, we will make sure of that” Hershel agreed.  
“You better, because I’ll make certain he doesn’t” threatened Max.  
Hershel nodded and Max knew Hershel didn’t want Zach anywhere near his daughter any more than Max did. Max guessed it was good time as any to leave but Hershel held up his hand, stopping him before he could.  
“Another matter of business before you go Max, just need an update of when you’ll take a crew out to find fuel” said Hershel  
“I can take a team out tomorrow” Max promised.  
“I’ll tell the others” said Daryl.  
Max nodded and excused himself from the room. He walked back to the cell block and found Beth in their cell with the young girls of the group, all chatting and laughing loudly. Beth looked so happy talking with the girls, like a normal teen girl and Max almost didn’t want to tell her about Zach but he had to.  
The girls left and Max informed Beth about Zach. Beth took the news surprisingly well, much better than Max had expected but Beth was a far different girl from when Zach had attacked her and Max couldn’t be more proud of her.  
Max stayed with Beth for the rest of the day, wanting to be with her if and when she finally encountered Zach but they didn’t see him until they walked into the mess for dinner that night.  
Max scowled when he saw Zach, he was sitting with Dr S. and several others, looking extremely nervous.  
“H-hi Beth” Zach stammered.  
Max scowl deepened, angered that Zach would even dare talk to her.  
“What are you doing here?” Max asked.  
More fear filled Zach’s eyes and he glanced around the room with a terrified look. Max noticed Rick and several others get up from their seats but Max wasn’t going to cause any trouble no matter how badly he wanted to throttle Zach, besides the kid was a mess, weak and just pathetic.  
“T-t-they said I could be here” said Zach, his voice cracking.  
“Max, Beth come sit down” called Hershel.  
“Come on Beth” asked Max softly, placing his hand on Beth’s arm to lead her away  
Beth didn’t move and just glared at Zach with her fists bunched at her sides. There was a tense silence before Max heard Beth take a deep breath and he saw her relax her hands.  
“Beth I-I-I’m very sorry for what I did” Zach then choked out.  
“You should be,what you did to me Zach was unforgivable” said Beth fiercely  
“I am sorry, so sorry I know I can make up for what I did and I promise I’ll never do anything like that to anyone again” he said.  
Beth seemed convinced by Zach’s apology and his promises but Max wasn’t, nothing Zach could do would make up for what he did. Beth walked away but Max paused before he followed and bent down so he was level with Zach’s ear.  
“You go anywhere near Beth, look at her, hell if you even think about her I will kill you very slowly and very painfully, we clear?” Max whispered with deadly seriousness.  
Max heard Zach gulp, his eyes were still filled with fear and he nodded his head quickly. Max was satisfied with the response and walked away to join Beth.  
Hershel chided him for threatening Zach but Max didn’t care, it was worth it just for the smile Beth gave him.  
“You ok?” Max asked her.  
He didn’t need to be mind reader to know Zach’s presence in the room was affecting her and wondered how she was holding up.  
“Yeah I think I am” she said firmly.  
“That’s my girl” said Max, giving her a smile.  
Beth smiled back and Max gave her hand a squeeze.  
“So what’s the plan for tomorrow Max?” asked Glenn.  
Max felt Beth hand tense in his, she might ok with Zach for the moment but she was still uncomfortable with Max going out on runs.  
“Early start, same crew as usual and we check every gas station we can find” said Max.  
“Sounds good” said Maggie  
“Speak to Rick and Michonne they might have a good idea which ones have already been checked” said Hershel.  
Max had a good idea of which gas stations to check from the previous fuel run but it wouldn’t hurt to know for sure.  
“Will do” he promised.  
Dinner was finished off, people began to drift out of the room and Max noticed Zach hobbling from the mess with Dr S’s help. Max and Beth got up to leave as well but Hershel wanted to talk to Beth privately about Zach, having not been able to get the chance earlier. Max had no problem with that and went to find Rick and Michonne. He found the two of them together, sitting with Daryl and Tyreese out in the courtyard.  
“Hey big man” said Michonne with a grin.  
“Hey there” said Max in return and he took an empty seat next to Tyreese.  
“Hows Beth?” Michonne asked.  
The others looked at him with intrigued looks and Max guessed that Beth and Zach were the hot topic of the day.  
“She’s fine” Max replied.  
“That little prick shouldn’t be walking around” growled Daryl, still sounding pissed about being out voted.  
“He aint doing much walking” offered Tyreese.  
There was an awkward silence and Max gathered everyone was thinking what they would really like to do with Zach.  
“So what’s the plan for the fuel run tomorrow?” asked Rick, changing the subject.  
“Yeah I came to find you about that actually, Hershel said you might have a better idea of where to check” Max replied.  
“Got a map, I can mark all the places we have already been” offered Rick.  
“Sounds good, I’d suggest we get a good night rest, start early, early the better and just check as many places as possible” said Max and the others agreed.  
Max left them and walked back inside. He found Beth waiting for him in their cell and she smiled at him as he walked in.  
“Hey” she said.  
“Good talk with your dad?” he asked her.  
“Yeah really good” she replied.  
She didn’t reveal what she and her father talked about and Max didn’t pry the subject. He undressed and got in next to her. Beth tucked herself into him, he wrapped an arm around her and they lay together happily until they both fell asleep.  
Max woke early the next morning to his watch alarm and Beth stirred as he got up. He gave her a smile and she smiled back.  
“Morning” she said brightly as she yawned and stretched.  
“Morning ” he said back.  
“What time is it?” she asked.  
“Six am, you should go back to sleep” he suggested but Beth shook her head.  
“No I’m up and I want to see you off” she said.  
Max nodded and they got dressed. Max threw on his vest and Beth helped him collect his gear before they joined the others in the mess for breakfast. Most of the run crew were already in the mess and Max walked over to them and took a seat at the table.  
Rick handed Max a road map of Georgia and the surrounding states that had every service station marked on it. Max lay it out on the table and the run crew crowded around it.  
“Ok we’ve already checked these” said Rick, pointing to the black x’s he had made previously.  
“So we’ll to try our luck with these ones, they are a little further out but we’ll have to check them” continued Max.  
“And if we don’t find anything?” Glenn asked.  
“Then I guess we’ll have to start siphoning from every vehicle we come across” Max answered.  
The idea didn’t sound appealing to anyone but if it came to it, they would have to deal with it. Beth brought over breakfast and she and Max began eating. They were soon joined by the final members of the run crew and when everyone was finished eating they all went to gear up.  
Max went to meet them outside by the run vehicles and checked over the Bushmaster, he knew it was all set to go but he wanted no surprises. He didn’t have to wait long for the others and everyone came out, geared up and ready to go. Rick and Glenn loaded the empty jerry cans into the back of one of the pick ups with Carl giving them a hand.  
“Keep watch over your sister” said Rick as Carl he handed him the last can.  
Carl nodded to his father, promising he would then he turned to Max.  
“I’ll make sure Zach doesn’t bother Beth” said Carl.  
Max wasn’t worried in the slightest about Zach bothering Beth nor was he worried about leaving the prison while Zach was free to move around. The boy was afraid of his own shadow now and was more than terrified of what Max would do to him.  
“Thanks mate” said Ma, giving Carl an appreciative look.  
“Need some extra help?” asked a voice.  
Max turned to see Henry and Charlie standing with their gear. Max hadn’t had much to do with the two and wasn’t sure of their experience. He shot a look at Rick and Daryl, Rick nodded and Daryl just shrugged.  
“Yeah ok” said Max.  
The two guys nodded and jumped into the pick up with Rick and Glenn. Max walked over to the Bushmaster and was about to climb in when Beth walked up to see him off like she promised. She lifted herself up to kiss him and and he couldn’t resist cupping her arse.  
“I want you to come back ok, safe and alive” she said, her eyes wide and piercing.  
“Yes mam” Max promised.  
Beth beamed at him and then walked off. Max watched her as he did, mesmerised by the sway of her hips and couldn’t help smiling.  
“Hey lover boy, we goin or what?” said Daryl from his bike.  
Max blinked, turned and saw everyone grinning at him.  
“Yeah, we good to go?” he asked.  
“Just waiting on you” said Daryl with a smirk.  
“Let’s move out then” said Max.  
Max climbed up into the Bushmaster and found Maggie in the passenger seat smiling at him like the Cheshire cat. Max ignored her, fired up the engine and began following Daryl out through the gates.  
“So Beth is handling the Zach situation well” Maggie remarked.  
“Yeah better than expected” agreed Max.  
“I wasn’t happy when daddy told me but if Beth isn’t bothered by it then I guess it’s all fine” said Maggie.  
“Yeah she’s a lot tougher now” said Max.  
“She’s tougher because of you Max and everything you have taught her” said Maggie.  
Max felt his face heat up again under the praise and Maggie grinned at him. He turned his attention to the road to and tried his best to ignore Maggie's maddening smile.  
They arrived at the first station on the map and found it unsurprisingly empty of fuel. The next several places they checked were bone dry as well. The group kept looking, not giving up yet but Max knew they were just wasting precious fuel they already had and there was no guarantee any of the gas stations they checked would yield anything.  
They stopped for lunch by a creek and the group stretched their legs. They all turned at the sound of footsteps and a single walker stumbled towards them.  
“I got this” said Michonne.  
She drew her sword and quickly dispatched the walker, sending the top of its head flying.  
“Damm its hot” said Maggie as she sat down in some shade.  
Max just made a noise and Maggie threw him a look.  
“What?, let me guess you’ve experienced hotter?” Maggie asked.  
“Actually yeah, grew up in Australia so experienced a lot of hot summers and I’ve also had the displeasure of visiting a lot of deserts and jungles while I was in the army” Max replied and Maggie just rolled her eyes.  
“Ok, ok so you’ve had hotter” said Maggie and laughed.  
Maggie and Max’s conversation piqued everyone’s interest and soon they were all trying to outdo each other with hottest temperature stories.  
The group finished up their lunch and continued on with their search. They soon came to the interstate they had chosen as one of their routes and began to drive it. It wasn’t long though that the highway became more and more clogged with vehicles, no doubt all abandoned in the mass panic evacuations.  
When the road become impassable Max decided to give the order to turn back. He reached for the walkie on the dash to give the order when suddenly Daryl’s voice burst from it.  
“Hey think I got something” he said.  
Daryl’s bike was able to weave through the vehicles and he was a little ways ahead.  
“What is it?” Max asked.  
“I can see some sort of tanker, gonna check it out” replied Daryl.  
“Copy that” said Max.  
Max pulled the Bushmaster to a stop and Maggie gave him an intrigued look. Max wasn’t so sure, it could be anything and needed Daryl’s confirmation.  
“Yeah we got us a fuel tanker and it’s full” reported Daryl a few minutes later.  
“Well how bout that” said Max with a grin.  
Everyone got out and made their way through the maze of vehicles until they reached Daryl and the tanker truck. It was medium sized tanker and was filled to the brim just as Daryl had said.  
“Well hot dam” said Bob.  
“This is one hell of a score” said Sasha.  
Max couldn’t agree more, the tanker was a great score for the group and they wouldn’t have to worry about fuel for a while.  
They now had a problem, the tanker was trapped by cars and the road was lined with a heavy metal barrier with a sharp incline on one side and a large concrete divider separating the opposite lanes.  
“So how we going to get this out of here?” asked Glenn, voicing what everyone was thinking.  
“We could go back to where it’s clear, start moving cars out of the way and make a path” suggested Sasha.  
“That could take forever” said Glenn, looking back at the long line of vehicles.  
Max wandered over to the barrier and looked over the side, the incline was too steep for any vehicle and the bottom of the hill was covered in large boulders. They couldn’t get the tanker out that way but an idea began forming in Max’s head.  
“What are you thinking?” Rick asked as he walked up beside him.  
“Sasha’s idea could work, but we do it from both ends, we clear one lane and back the tanker out”  
“How do we clear from this end?” asked Rick.  
“I got something that will help” said Max.  
Max walked back to the Bushmaster and retrieved his bag of assorted explosives. He walked back to the group, pulling two C-4 breaching charges and a remote detonator from the bag.  
“What the hell are those?” Daryl asked.  
“C-4 breaching explosives” Max explained.  
“No shit” said Daryl, sounding impressed.  
Max attached the charges to the metal barrier a decent distance apart and primed them.  
“Ok stand back” he ordered.  
Everybody took cover and once Max was satisfied they were safe, he hit the remote detonator. There were two loud booms and loud flash of fire and smoke. The explosives had worked perfectly and the large chunk of metal barrier fell to the road.  
The group then split up, Max took one half to move the vehicles at the back while the other half worked on removing the cars around the tanker, pushing them through the gap in the barrier and let gravity do the rest as they rolled down the hill.  
Max’s half of the group found some of the vehicles were still operational and could be driven while the others were either pushed or towed out of the way.  
Their plan worked quite well and by late afternoon they had cleared a path for the tanker.  
“Ok, lets get this back home” said Max.  
Tyreese climbed into the cab, started the engine and began to carefully back the truck down the road with the others guidance.  
The tanker was soon clear and Tyreese was able to turn it around easily and he and Glenn volunteered to drive the tanker back.  
The group was about to get into their vehicles to make the drive back when Max heard a twig snap. Thinking it might just be a walker, he went to draw his knife to take care of it but a man stepped from the tree line.  
“Hey there” he said.  
Max snapped up his rifle and aimed it at the man, not taking any chances.  
“Stay where you are” Max ordered.  
“Woah easy dude, I’m no threat” said the man, holding up his hands.  
Max didn’t relax and continued to train his rifle on the stranger, something about his sudden appearance didn’t feel right.  
“You guys look pretty organised, you have camp or something?” the stranger asked.  
“Maybe” Rick answered  
“Ok, I get it, you don’t trust me but I’m cool, been out here for while and just looking for somewhere safe” said the guy.  
Max didn’t believe a word he was saying and there was definitely something off with this guy. The guy was too calm, his smile was forced and his eyes were cold and hard. Max knew a killer when he saw one.  
“So what do say, got room in that armoured car of yours?” the man asked.  
“No” said Max firmly and the stranger’s expression changed instantly.  
“Well too bad” he snarled.  
He pulled a pistol from his back and Max reacted instantly, dropping him with a round to the head. Gunfire erupted and Max pulled Maggie and Michonne down into cover just in time as car windows shattered all around them.  
The shots were coming from both sides and they were surrounded. Max snapped up his rifle over the hood of the vehicle he was using for cover and fired blindly into the trees. He heard a yelp of pain and the sound of a body hitting the ground.  
Gunshots continued to ring out and Max looked to to see Rick, Daryl and Sasha engaged with several shooters on the opposite side. A bullet whipped by Max’s ear, Max fired back in the direction it came and caught a woman in the chest as she tried to shoot again.  
Max spun to help the others and saw Rick take one of the ambushers out and Daryl took another out with a bolt to the throat. A man rushed Michonne but she quickly ran him through with her sword, another appeared aiming a shotgun at Max but before he fire, Maggie took him out with her pistol.  
The gunfire ceased, Max searched for any more targets but only saw friendlies and let his rifle slack.  
“Everyone ok, everyone up?” Max shouted.  
“Need some help here” called a voice.  
Max rounded one of the cars and saw Charlie leaning up against the vehicle with Bob pressing his hand against Charlie’s arm. Max could see blood pouring from a gunshot wound and gave Bob a look.  
“He’s gonna be ok, bullet went through, don’t think it hit any arteries” said Bob.  
“Someone grab the first aid kit, any other injuries?” he asked, looking around. He did a quick head count and then saw Tyreese holding his hand to his face.  
“Tyreese what happened?” Sasha asked.  
“Got hit by some glass” he explained.  
He pulled his hand away and they saw several deep lacerations across his cheek. They’re were in no way life threatening but would have to be attended to. Charlie’s arm needed tending to as well but it wasn’t the time or place, they were too exposed and another attack could be imminent.  
“We should get out of here, there could be more of them” said Max.  
The others agreed and they then heard the familiar sounds of walkers, no doubt attracted by the gunfire and Max turned to see a dozen or so of them stumbling out from the trees.  
“Alright, time to really get the fuck out of here” said Max.  
They all sprang into action, Max helped Bob put Charlie in the back of the Bushmaster, Sasha and Tyreese climbed into too and before Max jumped in the drivers seat, he made sure everyone was in a vehicle.  
Rick and Michonne were now in the tanker, Daryl on his bike and Glenn and Henry in the pick up. Satisfied everyone was good to go, Max fired up the Bushmaster and their convoy left the walkers behind, their arms grabbing uselessly at the moving vehicles.  
Max glanced in the back as Charlie moaned in pain. Bob was doing his best but couldn’t do anything for the pain, Max’s battlefield medkit was back at the prison.  
“We ok back there?” Max called back.  
“I’ve stopped the bleeding, he’ll be fine” Bob replied.  
“Oh god it hurts like hell though” said Charlie angrily.  
“I’m sure it does mate, but you’ll live,Tyreese how bout you, you all good?” Max asked.  
“All good” Tyreese answered.  
Max looked back, Sasha had placed a bandage on her brothers face and Tyreese gave Max a thumbs up. Max nodded in response and focused back on driving. He was a little pissed about the ambush but they hadn’t lost anyone and they had found a tanker filled with fuel so the day was still win in Max’s books.  
The drive back was a sombre one and no one spoke, expect for the groans from Charlie and the occasional reports over the radio.  
They made it back to the prison without any more trouble and was just on dusk as they pulled up to the prison gates. Max parked the Bushmaster and Beth rushed up to meet him as he stepped down.  
“There you are, I was beginning to worry about you” she said with a relieved smile.  
She rose up to kiss him but stopped when she saw the look on his face.  
“What’s wrong, what happened?” she asked worriedly, looking around.  
“We ran into some trouble, we got attacked” Max told her.  
“Oh no, everyone alright?” she asked with concern.  
“Yeah but we sustained some injuries” he replied.  
Max explained the days events and how Charlie and Tyreese were injured in the ambush. Maggie walked up and Beth hugged her, glad her sister had made it back as well.  
Hershel and the others wandered out into the courtyard. Hershel smiled at the tanker but the smile disappeared when he sensed the mood of the group.  
“What happened?” he asked.  
Max didn’t feel like explaining everything again but he was saved by Daryl and Rick who took Hershel aside to debrief him.  
Max felt Beth slip her hand into his and he allowed himself to be led inside. Beth pulled him to their cell and helped him out of his vest. They both sat on the bed together and Beth took his hand again.  
“You alright?” she asked.  
“Had to kill some people today Beth” he replied and looked away.  
Max never had a problem with taking an enemies life but didn’t want Beth to think of him as a killer. He felt Beth’s hand on his chin and she eased his face back to her.  
“They gave you no choice Max, you had to do what you had to do” she said gently, softly caressing his cheek.  
She gave him a warm smile and Max knew she would loved him unconditionally, no matter what he had to do.  
“Come here” she then said, patting her lap.  
Max was confused at first but then clued in, putting his head gently in her lap. Beth began brushing her fingers softly through his hair and hum quietly. Max felt the strain of the day start to fade away, loving how easily she was able to do that with just her touch and voice. His tension faded away completely, Beth stopped humming and smiled down at him.  
“Better now?” she asked.  
“Yeah” he replied, giving her a smile and Beth’s smile widened.  
Max pulled his head from Beth’s lap and made to get up from the bed but Beth stopped him.  
“You’ve had a long day Max, you should rest” she suggested.  
Max thought about arguing but he knew she was right, besides he would never win the argument. He pulled off his boots and curled up on his side on the bed. Beth lay beside him, pressing herself into his back. She began to hum softly again and ran her fingers up and down his arm. Max closed his eyes and was soon lulled into a peaceful sleep.


	64. Chapter 64

The blazing late afternoon sun beat down on Beth as she helped her father in the garden. She was hot and sweaty but Beth wasn’t all bothered by this. She was happy to help her father and was actually in an excited mood, more excited than she should be doing such a task and the reason why was because she was one day short of her eighteenth birthday.  
Beth was surprised how quickly time had passed at the prison, there had been no trouble since Max’s almost disastrous fuel run and life had been good. Beth almost couldn’t believe she was turning eighteen, never expecting to see her seventeenth birthday when the virus hit let alone her eighteenth.  
Beth wiped her forehead and took a swig of water from the bottle next to her. The water was tepid and she grimaced. Her father looked over and chuckled.  
“All good there?” he asked.  
She nodded and he gave her a fatherly smile.  
“Ok how bout finish up for today Bethie, let’s go cool off” he suggested.  
Beth smiled at her father and stood up, brushing her hands on her pants. She helped her father to his feet and the two of them walked up to the cell blocks.  
While her father stopped to talk to Sasha about some council business, Beth did a quick scan for Max but couldn’t see him so she continued on inside. The cooler inside air was a welcome change but Beth still felt sweaty and decided to take a shower.  
She grabbed her towel, shower gear and walked to the shower room. Being such a hot day, several others had the same idea as Beth but there were still empty stalls and she quickly slipped into one.  
Beth undressed and stepped under the water, gasping in delight as the cold water hit her skin. She began to hum happily as she washed the sweat and dirt from her body.  
She finished up, redressed and walked back to the cell block, running into Carol as she did.  
“Well someone looks happy” said Carol.  
“Yeah, good shower” said Beth.  
“Hmm so nothing to do with the fact it’s your birthday tomorrow?” said Carol teasingly, Beth grinned and Carol laughed.  
Everyone at the prison had noticed her excitement about her upcoming birthday and couldn’t help teasing her about it.  
“Ok you got me” Beth admitted.  
Carol just smirked and Beth continued on her way back to her and Max’s cell. She threw her shower things down onto the bed and then changed into clean clothes. She opted for a white cotton top that showed off a good portion of her midriff and a pair of denim cut off shorts. Beth inspected herself in the mirror Max had put on the wall and smiled, liking how she looked and knew Max wouldn’t be able to keep his hands off her.  
Beth went to find Max and almost ran head long into Rick outside the cell, who was cradling Judith in his arms.  
“Hey Rick” said Beth, giving him a smile.  
It had taken time but Beth was now once again on friendly terms with the man, she hadn’t completely forgiven him for shooting Max but wasn’t angry about it any more.  
“Hi Beth” said Rick.  
Judith made a happy cooing noise and Beth reached out to tickle the girl’s stomach. Judith burst into delighted giggles, Beth laughed with her and then turned her attention back to Rick.  
“Have you seen Max?” she asked him.  
“Yeah you just missed him, the new water pump has stopped working so he and Daryl went to try fix it” he replied.  
“Oh ok thanks” said Beth.  
Beth politely excused herself, leaving Rick to tend to his daughter. She walked back outside and looked down to where the water pump was located by the perimeter fence. Beth glimpsed the familiar figures of Max and Daryl and smiled happily.  
She began to walk down to them and passed Carl and Patrick, who were walking together and talking.  
“Hey guys” she said in greeting and gave them a wave.  
The boys conversation died as they looked at her and Beth saw their eyes widen.  
“Hey Beth” said Patrick with a stammer.  
“Hi Beth” said Carl, his face reddening.  
They seemed a little stunned and she could see them trying their best not to stare at her. She gave them a smile and Carl gave a weak one back.  
Carl had taken it upon himself to make sure Zach or anyone else didn’t bother Beth while Max was away on runs since Zach was allowed to stay at the prison and Beth suspected Carl might be developing a little crush on her.  
Beth thought it was cute and didn’t mind Carl looking out for her. It was wasn’t needed though, she had her training, no one would dare hurt her knowing what Max would do to them and Zach hadn’t caused any trouble, keeping to himself and avoiding her completely.  
“Enjoying the afternoon?” Beth asked them and they both nodded.  
The boys were still a little tongue tided in her presence and Beth almost laughed at them. She didn’t though and kinda liked the reaction she was getting from them.  
“Well ok boys I’ll catch you later” she said,  
Beth walked off and didn’t have to look back to know they were both watching her as she did. She made her way down the hill and across the field. Daryl noticed her first and tapped Max on the shoulder.  
Max turned, lifted his mirrored sunglasses and let out a little whistle.  
“Well hello there gorgeous” he said.  
Beth giggled and Max gave her a grin, obviously liking what she was wearing. She gave Daryl a smile as well and saw the man’s face redden and avert his eyes.  
“So how’s it going here?” Beth asked, indicating the pump.  
Max and the others had brought the machine back a few weeks ago, replacing the old hand crank pump they had be previously using. The pump was gasoline powered and was noisy but it filled the drums they used for drinking, cooking and showering far faster than the hand pump ever could.  
“Not sure yet but we think it’s the filter” said Max.  
Beth sat down and watched as they unscrewed a part of the machine. They pulled out the filter Max had mentioned and both men looked at each other.  
“There’s the problem” said Max.  
Beth could see the small round filter was a dark muddy brown and guessed it wasn’t supposed to be that way.  
“The river is too muddy, the filter is clogging up too fast, guess will have to check it more regularly” said Max and Daryl agreed.  
Max scraped off the mud from the filter, slid it back in and then fired the pump up. It worked perfectly and they shut if off.  
“Well that’s taken care of” said Max.  
“Does that mean you’re free?” she asked without hiding her hopefulness and Max grinned.  
Daryl smirked, muttered something about being in a romance novel and walked off, leaving Beth and Max alone.  
“So?” Beth pressed.  
“Yeah miss Greene I’m all yours” he assured her.  
Beth smiled happily, linked her hand into his and the two began to walk back up to the prison. They headed to their shared cell and slipped inside.  
Beth wrapped her arms around his neck, rose up and kissed him. Max kissed her back and then picked her up, moving them both to the bed.  
Max began to gently stroke her stomach with his fingers, sending delightful tingles through her body. Beth closed her eyes and let out a little sigh. She felt his hand drift further down her stomach and as his fingers probed the waist of her shorts, she reluctantly stopped him.  
As much as Beth wanted he touching her there, it was still daylight and she could hear people talking and moving about just outside.  
“Later” she whispered, giving him a little smile.  
Max grinned and continued to tickle her stomach instead, not looking disappointed in the slightest.  
The two of them stayed in the cell talking until Maggie poked her head in, grinning at them.  
“Dinner is being served you two” said Maggie.  
“Oh nice, thanks Maggie” said Beth.  
She and Max followed Maggie into the mess and took seats at the usual table. The dinner crew served up and everyone began eating.  
“So Bethie, still excited for tomorrow?” asked her father.  
Beth thought he was just teasing her like everyone else but she saw he was being serious.  
“Oh um yeah, pretty excited I guess” she replied.  
“Pretty excited?” said Maggie with a raised eyebrow.  
“Ok, very excited” Beth admitted and the whole table laughed.  
After dinner Beth, Max and several others including Maggie and Glenn stayed in the mess talking. Beth didn’t think she was going to be able to sleep but she soon stifled a yawn and knew it was time to turn in. She gave Max a look and the two excused themselves, heading off to bed.  
She woke early the next morning, rested and excited for the day. She yawned, stretched and turned to see Max was still asleep.  
Beth loved watching Max sleep on the mornings she woke before him. He looked so calm and peaceful despite looking every part the warrior he was.  
She shook him gently and he jolted awake straight away. He turned to look at her and his face widened in a deep grin.  
“Hey there beautiful, happy birthday” he whispered and gave her a soft kiss.  
“Thanks” she whispered back.  
“I got you something” he said.  
“You did?” Beth asked.  
Max rolled over, reached into his pack and pulled out a little velvet bag. He handed it to her and Beth quickly pulled open the strings holding it closed. She slipped her fingers inside and pulled a beautiful silver charm bracelet, covered in little silver and gold charms.  
“Oh Max, it’s beautiful” she whispered.  
Max took it from her and placed it on her wrist.  
“I got it on the one of runs back to the mall” he revealed.  
“I love it Max” Beth said.  
Beth inspected each charm in turn and Max began to explain them.  
“The music notes represent your love of music and singing, the love heart is our love, the soldier is me of course me, the cross is your dad and mermaid and the fairy because you love them” he said.  
Beth’s eyes misted up and she threw her arms around him, kissing him passionately.  
“I love it all Max, and I love you so much ” she whispered.  
“I love you too Beth” he said.  
Beth smiled happily and wiped away the tears, not wanting to full on cry.  
“So what did you want to do today birthday girl?” Max asked, giving her stomach a tickle.  
Beth just smiled at him she knew what she really wanted to do and that involved them not leaving the bed for the entire day.  
There was a light tapping on their cell door and both Beth and Max looked at the door.  
“Bethie are you awake?”Beth’s father then asked through the curtain.  
Beth could only smile, her little plan would have to wait.  
“Yes daddy, just getting dressed, I’ll be out in a minute” Beth said back.  
They both rolled out of the bed and pulled on some clothes. Beth put her hair up in her signature pony tail and joined her father outside the cell.  
“Morning daddy” she said to him.  
“Happy birthday dear” he said, giving her a hug.  
Max gave them some privacy and said he would make them some breakfast.  
“I have something for you” her father said.  
He handed her a little wrapped box , Beth carefully opened it and pulled out a little silver, double heart necklace. Beth gasped as she recognised it, the necklace had once belonged to her mother.  
“Oh daddy” she whispered.  
“I’ve kept this on me since the day she died, its the only thing besides you and your sister that I have left of your mother and now I want you to have it” he said.  
“Daddy I can’t accept this, it means too much to you” she whispered.  
“She would have wanted you to have it Beth” he said.  
Beth nodded and her eyes misted up again, she had just received another beautiful thoughtful gift in a space of ten minutes and wondered what other heart wrenching gifts she might be given next.  
Her father placed the necklace around her neck and then noticed the new addition to her wrist.  
“Well well, what’s this?” he said, inspecting Max’s charm bracelet.  
“Oh that’s from Max” she replied.  
Her father smiled approvingly and the two walked into the mess. Beth smiled happily at everyone as they walked in. Maggie got up from the table and pulled Beth into a hug.  
“Happy birthday Beth” said Maggie  
“Thanks Maggie”  
“Happy Birthday Beth” said Glenn  
Beth smiled at him and everyone else that came over to wish her the same.  
“Ok Beth how you open some presents” said Maggie.  
“Ok” said Beth.  
Maggie indicated to Glenn, he pulled a large wrapped box from under the table and handed it to Beth.  
“This is from Glenn and I ”said Maggie.  
Beth looked the box over curiously, she gave Max a look hoping he might know what it was but he just shrugged. Beth ripped open the wrapping paper and revealed a medium sized professional keyboard piano that ran on batteries.  
“Oh wow, thanks guys” she said.  
“It’s not like the real one we had back home but I thought maybe you could start playing again” said Maggie  
“I love it” said Beth truthfully.  
“Wait, what’s that on your wrist?” Maggie asked, reaching for Beth’s arm.  
“Oh its Max’s gift” said Beth happily, showing off the charm bracelet.  
“Wow its beautiful” said Maggie, shooting Max an impressed look.  
Maggie didn’t mention the necklace their father had given Beth, maybe she didn’t notice it or maybe she already knew Beth had it. Beth couldn’t tell and didn’t know how Maggie felt about her having it so Beth didn’t want to bring it up just yet.  
Max handed her a bowl of breakfast and Beth sat down to eat. Beth couldn’t be more happier as she ate, the morning had been great so far and couldn’t wait to see what the rest of the day held.  
As she finished eating Carol stopped by to wish her happy birthday and to tell her she had taken Beth off the job roster for the day.  
“Oh nice, thanks Carol” said Beth happily.  
“No problem Beth thought you should have the day for yourself” said Carol with a smile.  
Beth grinned and then turned to Max.  
“So what about training then?” she asked.  
“Oh you think just because it’s your birthday you can slack on your training huh?” he replied teasingly.  
“Yep” she shot back and Max chuckled.  
“Ok miss Greene, no training today” he promised.  
Beth smiled happily, she now had the entire day free to enjoy. Max unfortunately still had duties to attend to. Beth offered to help but Max declined, wanting her to enjoy her day and went off to do his jobs.  
Others also followed suit, off to attended to their own duties but Maggie stayed put and Beth gave her an intrigued look.  
“What?, you think I’d leave my little sister by herself on her birthday?” Maggie asked and Beth smiled happily at her sister in response.  
Beth and Maggie walked outside and were ambushed by Mika, Lizzie and the rest of kids.  
“Happy birthday Beth” they all chanted.  
“Thanks guys” said Beth, smiling brightly at them.  
“We made something for you” said Mika happily.  
Mika pulled a large hand made card she had been hiding behind her back and handed it to Beth. The card was brightly coloured, covered in little pictures of presents, cakes and candles. Beth opened the card and found it filled with birthday wishes from the group.  
“Oh wow thanks guys” said Beth  
The children smiled ecstatically and then all rushed off inside, leaving Beth and Maggie in their wake.  
“Ok birthday girl, what did you want to do?” Maggie asked and Beth just shrugged.  
“Alright hey bout we just hang out?” Maggie suggested.  
That sounded good to Beth and sat down at the table around the outdoor kitchen. They had barely sat down when Sasha and Karen walked up.  
“Well there’s the birthday girl” said Sasha.  
Karen and Sasha gave Beth big hugs and sat down with the sisters.  
“So what did you get?” Karen asked.  
“More importantly, what did Max get you?” asked Sasha.  
Beth blushed and then showed off the charm bracelet. The woman inspected it and let out impressed noises.  
“Oh very nice and the necklace is new too” said Karen, reaching for it.  
“Yes it’s from daddy” said Beth softly, pulling away.  
Beth avoided looking at Maggie and Karen sensed she had done something wrong.  
“It belonged to our mother” Beth heard Maggie say.  
She turned to her, seeing Maggie with a sad smile on her face and Sasha and Karen excused themselves to give the two privacy.  
“Mum would have wanted to have it Beth” said Maggie.  
“Yeah?” said Beth unsure,  
“And I want you to have it too” said Maggie.  
Beth smiled happily and the two hugged.  
“I never saw her take it off you know” said Beth, reminiscing.  
“Yeah, she used to say it gave her luck” said Maggie.  
They both looked at each other as the memories of their mother filled their minds, good and painful.  
“I miss her a lot Maggie” said Beth quietly.  
“I miss her too Beth everyday” said Maggie.  
Beth felt depressed now, the day had started off so well and now the remembrance of their departed mother had soured the mood. Maggie seemed to sense this as well and pulled Beth into another tight hug.  
“Mum wouldn’t want us crying on a day like this, she would want us to be happy and laughing” said Maggie.  
Beth knew she was right, their mother would want Beth to be smiling and enjoying her birthday, not wallowing in bad memories.  
“Yeah” said Beth, her voice catching.  
She cleared her voice and repeated herself with conviction, wiping the tears running down her cheek.  
“Ok good” said Maggie, grinning now.  
Beth smiled as well and cheered up completely, pushing all the bad memories away. The sisters began talking about past birthdays, like when Maggie ate so much cake and party food she threw up or the time Beth got so mad she didn’t receive a certain gift she tried to throw all her other gifts in the pond.  
“Oh come on I did not” said Beth in disbelief.  
“You were four I think and you wanted a toy pony or something like that and when you didn’t get it you got so mad, picked up as many gifts you could carry and attempted to carry them out to the pond to throw them in” said Maggie through laughter.  
Beth couldn’t help laughing as well and imagined her pint sized self trying to pull it off.  
“Yeah it was pretty funny stuff” said Maggie.  
The two were so wrapped in their stories that they both didn’t notice Daryl had walked over to them until he coughed awkwardly. Beth turned to him and smiled.  
“Hey Daryl” she said brightly.  
The man looked uncomfortable and then handed Beth a package, roughly wrapped in paper . Beth’s eyes widened and she took the gift. She ripped the paper and revealed a tin of expensive water colour pencils.  
“I noticed you like drawing” Daryl mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck.  
“Wow thanks Daryl” said Beth, giving him a smile.  
His face reddened slightly, he nodded and then walked off. Beth turned to Maggie and they both suppressed a giggle. Beth thought Daryl’s gift was very sweet and never would have expected one from the man at all.  
“That guy never stops surprising” said Maggie.  
“Who never stops surprising?” asked Max as he walked up.  
Beth gave him a delighted smile and as he took a seat beside them she promptly sat sideways in his lap.  
“Hey beautiful, hows the birthday so far?” Max asked as she wrapped an arm around him.  
“Very good, look Daryl got me some pencils” Beth answered and a surprised grin appeared on Max’s face.  
“Oh shit no way, thought he would be more of a pack of smokes and a bottle of Jack kind of gift giving guy” joked Max.  
“That’s what I thought too” said Maggie, laughing.  
Beth couldn’t help giggling as well but secretly glad Daryl didn’t give her cigarettes and booze.  
“So all done with your jobs?” Beth asked Max, changing the subject.  
“Not yet, thought I would take a break” he replied, patting her stomach.  
“Hmm you two want some alone time?” Maggie teased.  
“Maybe later” said Beth and both Maggie and Max laughed.  
“So what have you two been talking about?” Max asked.  
“Well actually we’ve been talking about past birthdays” Maggie replied.  
Beth’s eyes lit up, now she had chance to find out about some of Max’s birthdays.  
“So how did you celebrate your eighteenth birthday” she asked him.  
“Well I went skydiving” he replied.  
“Really?” she asked.  
“Yeah went skydiving during the day and then got pretty wasted at a party afterwards” he said.  
“Your parents let you drink alcohol?” Beth asked in disbelief.  
“The drinking age is eighteen in Australia, so yeah pretty much, threw an absolute rager” he replied.  
Beth tried to imagine a drunk teenage Max and giggled at the image.  
“What?” Max asked.  
“Nothing” Beth replied, suppressing another giggle.  
“Hmm ok” said Max.  
The trio continued discussing birthdays until Carol walked over to informed them lunch was almost ready and they followed her inside.  
“So how’s your day been so far?” asked her father as Beth sat down.  
“Yeah really good” she answered.  
“That’s what I want to hear” he said happily, patting her hand.  
He gave her a smile and as she smiled back, Rick walked over with Judith and Carl.  
“Judith has something she wants to give you Beth” said Rick with a smile.  
Beth saw a little wrapped gift gripped tightly in the girls hand and pulled it gently from her grasp.  
“Well thank you sweetie” Beth said, giving Judith a tickle.  
She opened the gift and smiled, it was a little book of inspiring poems and quotes. She thanked the Grime’s and saw Carl’s face grow bright red. Beth suspected the book was most likely his idea.  
Lunch was served and when it was cleared away, everyone in the room smiled at her and Beth looked around confused.  
She glanced at Max, Maggie and her father but they didn’t reveal anything and Max was almost laughing. She was about to asked what was going on when Carol and Karen appeared with an actual birthday cake emblazoned with burning candles.  
“Oh my god” she gasped.  
Everyone in the room laughed and then began singing ‘happy birthday.’  
“Oh you didn’t have to do this” she said as the chocolate cake was placed in front of her.  
“It was nothing Beth” Carol assured.  
“Blow out the candles Beth” urged Karen.  
Beth took a deep breath and managed to blow out most of them. As she did, Glenn took a picture of her with a polaroid camera and Beth stuck out her tongue.  
“Blow out the rest Beth” pressed Maggie, laughing.  
Beth quickly did so and everyone cheered and clapped. Carol cut the cake and handed her a slice while Karen handed out some to everyone. Beth took a bite of hers and smiled at the taste.  
“Wow Carol, how did you make this?” Beth asked.  
“I have my ways” replied Carol with teasing smile.  
Everyone enjoyed the cake especially the kids and Beth even saw Judith getting a taste. Beth snuggled up to Max and they fed each other bits from the slices.  
The rest of the day went quickly, Max completed all his tasks and he hung out with Beth, Maggie and others until it grew dark and then was time for dinner.  
Beth’s mind was somewhere else as she ate. The day had been perfect, the presents, the cake, everything had been great but there was something Beth hadn’t gotten yet and it was driving her crazy.  
“What are you thinking about?” Max whispered in her ear  
“Thinking about getting you alone” she whispered back.  
“Yeah?” he asked and placed his hand on her thigh.  
Beth almost moaned in delight as Max drifted his hand up her leg and only drove her more crazy.  
“Max please” she pleaded, grabbing his hand before anybody noticed what he was doing to her.  
Max just grinned and pulling his hand away but not before whispering ‘soon’ in her ear. Beth grinned excitedly at him and couldn’t wait for dinner to end.  
She didn’t have to wait long, everyone was hungry and their empty plates were soon cleared away. Beth’s father was tired and he kissed her goodnight before heading off to bed. Maggie got up as well and pulled a confused Glenn with her.  
“Well good night you two” said Maggie teasingly.  
She and Glenn walked off, leaving Beth and Max alone at the table.  
“Shall we turn in?” Beth asked Max, unable to contain herself any longer.  
“Yeah” he agreed.  
Beth got up and began to walk to the cells but Max stopped her.  
“Nah not that way” he said.  
“Huh?” she asked, confused.  
“Got one last surprise for you” said Max.  
“Oh?” asked Beth  
“Yeah, this way” he said.  
Max held out his hand, Beth took it and he led her outside to the Bushmaster. Beth gave him another confused look and Max opened the back of the bushmaster.  
Several lit candles filled the rear of the vehicle with light and a mattress with pillows and sheets had been placed on the floor.  
“Thought we would have bit more privacy out here” explained Max.  
“You did all this” Beth asked.  
“Well I had help” Max admitted.  
Beth smiled and he quickly pulled her inside, locking the door behind them. The candles gave off a warm romantic atmosphere and Beth felt little tingles run through her body. She didn’t waste any time, letting her hair down and quickly stripping her boots and jeans off.  
Beth lay back on the mattress as Max pulled off his own boots and pants and she looked up through the open turret hatch, seeing the bright starry sky above.  
“Oh look” said Beth.  
“Beautiful” she heard Max say.  
She shifted her gaze to see he wasn’t looking up but at her and she giggled.  
“Yeah?” she asked.  
“Very beautiful” he replied and placed a kiss on her lips.  
Beth gripped his shirt in her hand, kissing him back deeply and Max placed his hand on her stomach. It burned nicely against bare her skin but she grabbed it and placed it on one of her breasts.  
Their kissing heated up, Max softly caressed her breast in hand and Beth was getting more and more turned on.  
“Oh Max” Beth moaned, coming up for air.  
“All good?” he asked.  
“Oh yes, keep going” she assured.  
Max’s nimble fingers quickly undid each button on her blouse, revealing her lacy bra underneath. Max had seen her put it on that morning but his eyes still lit up at the sight of it and he began placing a line of kisses between her breasts.  
Beth moaned in delight as he then began kissing her breasts themselves, through the fabric of her bra.  
She then pushed him away to quickly rid herself of her blouse and bra before laying back on the mattress again. Max returned his attentions to her now naked breasts and Beth moaned as he drew one of her nipples into his mouth.  
Beth’s body was trembling now and felt like her every nerve was on fire. Max seemed to sense this and slipped his hand into the front of her panties, sliding a finger through her already slick folds.  
The combined attention on her breasts and now between her legs sent Beth into over drive and as he eased a finger inside her, she had an orgasm.  
“Oh god yes Max” she moaned loudly.  
“Did you just cum Beth?” he asked, grinning at her.  
Beth just smiled and nodded, giggling.  
“Well let’s give you another” he growled.  
Before she could agreed, Max ripped off her drenched panties and threw them against the wall. Beth trembled with anticipation as he spread her legs and lowered his head.  
“Does the birthday girl want her pussy tended to?” he growled.  
“Yes Max please” Beth begged  
He didn’t hesitate and began lick her, running his tongue across her wet mound. Beth sighed happily and stroked her hand through his hair.  
“Mmm oh yes feels so good” she moaned.  
Max began to focus on her clit as he continued to hungrily lap at her dripping pussy and Beth arched her back, gripping his head tightly in her hands.  
“Fuck you taste so good” Max said.  
Beth’s body shook, she pawed at her breasts and continued to moan as Max brought her to the edge.  
“Oh Max I’m going to cum again” Beth wailed.  
Max slid two fingers into her and the dam burst, sending wave of pleasure crashing through her. She lay panting and Max pulled his fingers from her. Beth grabbed them and licked her juices dripping from them.  
“Mmm I do taste good” she said with a giggle  
“Yes you do miss green” Max agreed.  
Beth eyed the bulge in Max’s underwear and smiled as now got to taste something else. She reached out and pulled his cock from its confines, curling her fingers around his erect shaft.  
“Mmm nice and hard for me” she said lustfully.  
She leant forward and began to softly kiss the head of his cock as she gently stroked his shaft.  
“Fuck that’s nice Beth” he groaned  
“Well you taught me well” she said with giggle.  
She opened her mouth and ran her tongue up and down his shaft a couple of times before sliding him into her mouth.  
‘Oh yeah Beth just like that” he whispered  
Beth began happily sucking him, coating his cock with her spit and Max groaned in appreciation. She felt the tingles between her legs again and couldn’t wait to feel him deep inside her.  
Beth began to finger herself as she sucked him and soon she couldn’t take it much longer. She pulled her mouth from his cock and wiped her mouth.  
“I need you inside me Max” she ordered  
She lay back on the mattress and spread her legs. Max ripped off his shirt, positioned himself over her and Beth wrapped her hand around his throbbing cock, guiding it into her wet waiting pussy. She let a moan as Max filled her and gazed up at him with love and lust.  
“Fuck me Max” she commanded.  
“Yes mam” he said with a grin.  
Max began with gentle thrusts, building up steam until he was thrusting into her strong and deep, forcing her into the mattress. She wrapped her legs and arms tightly around him and her loud moans once again echoed off the walls.  
Beth lost all sense of time and space as Max fucked her, she could feel every inch of his cock inside her and loved it all.  
“Oh yes Max keep going oh god” she moaned.  
“Gonna cum Beth?” Max growled in her ear.  
“Yes Max, please don’t stop” she begged.  
Max continued to thrust into until the pleasure boiling up inside her exploded, her body seized up and she orgasmed, coating his cock in a flood of juices.  
“That’s it Beth cum all over my cock” he growled as she screamed.  
Max continued to slam into her, prolonging her pleasure as her climax ebbed through her.  
“Oh my god Max, oh, oh yes” she moaned.  
Beth could sense he was very close as well, his thrusts had became weaker and then he pulled from her all together, spilling on her stomach.  
Beth lay panting and Max did the same, nuzzling her neck and holding her tightly  
“That was amazing Max” she whispered.  
“Glad you enjoyed it” he said with a grin and Beth giggled.  
Max grabbed a water bottle from a shelf and handed it to her. Beth gulped the water down greedily and handed it back to Max.  
“What are you thinking about now?” Max asked, after taking a sip.  
“Just how much I love you” she answered.  
“Well I love you all the same” he said.  
Max grabbed a box of wipes he kept in the vehicle and they wiped themselves down. They then lay tangled together in each others arms, staring up through the roof hatch at the stars.  
Beth smiled and couldn’t be more happier, it was one of the best birthdays she had since the dead starting walking the world and despite not being able to celebrate it with her mother it still had been a perfect day.  
Max’s birthday would be in a few days and Beth began making plans in her head to make his day just as special as hers had been…


	65. Chapter 65

Max woke to sound of a flash and strange whirring. He opened his eyes and saw Beth sitting on the bed in just her thin tank top and little sleep shorts, holding Glenn’s polaroid camera.  
“Happy birthday” she announced happily and took another photo.  
“What are you doing?” he asked with a grin.  
“Just taking some pictures” she replied cheekily as she pulled the photo from the camera.  
“Oh is that so?” Max asked.  
“Mmhm” Beth said with a nod.  
She then snuggled up to him, pressed her face to his and held the camera up in front on them.  
“Smile!” she said.  
They both grinned and Beth took another picture. She took another as she kissed his cheek and then Max took the camera from her.  
“Ok your turn” he said.  
Beth grinned and poked out her tongue as he snapped a picture.  
“Ok funny girl, how bout a serious one?” Max suggested.  
Beth gave him another cheeky grin but then smiled a serious but stunning smile.  
“Beautiful” he said and took the picture.  
He took a couple more as Beth began moving around the bed, posing like she was a model.  
“Looking good babe, very sexy” he said.  
“Yeah?, think I could be a model?” Beth asked.  
“Oh without a doubt” Max replied.  
“You think so?, good enough for Nylon or Marie Claire?” she asked.  
“They magazines?” Max asked and Beth giggled.  
“Yeah like Vogue or Cosmo” she replied.  
“Well I’ve never read any of those but you could be on the cover of all of them” Max said.  
Beth giggled again and then crawled on her hand and knees over to him.  
“You are too sweet Maxwell Knight” she said, giving him a soft kiss  
“Yeah?” he asked and she nodded.  
“Very sweet, so sweet in fact that I think it’s time for one of your presents ” she whispered in his ear.  
Beth began placing soft kisses down his bare chest and stomach. She reached his briefs, gave him a seductive smile and pulled them down, freeing his cock.  
“You’re going to enjoy this birthday Max” she whispered sexily.  
She wrapped her hand around his cock, Max let out a groan and Beth smiled up at him as she lowered her head to take him into her mouth.  
“Oh fuck Beth that’s nice” he whispered, relaxing back against the wall.  
Beth just smiled and continued on. Her hot wet mouth wrapped around his cock felt so good and she had him cumming in no time. She let his drooping cock slide from her mouth and she gently licked him clean.  
“Damm Beth that was hot” said Max.  
Beth just giggled and tucked his cock back into his underwear before snuggling back into him  
“Want me to take care of you?” he asked.  
“Hmm I don’t think I could be quiet enough, besides there will time for that later” she replied with a little smile  
“Oh yeah?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.  
“Yep, now its time for another present” she said.  
She hopped off the bed and rummaged through the filing cabinet they used to store their clothes, pulling out out a wrapped present  
“Here you go” said handing it to him.  
Max opened the wrapping and revealed a stack of assorted comics books.  
“Oh nice” he said.  
“Yeah?, you like it?” she asked with a worried look on her face.  
“Yeah they’re great” he assured her.  
Her face split into a happy smile again and Max pulled her into a hug to kiss her.  
“Ok let’s get some breakfast” she suggested.  
They both got dressed and wandered into the mess to eat. While Beth made them some breakfast, Max sat down with Maggie and Glenn.  
“Well good morning Max and happy birthday” said Maggie with a grin.  
“Yeah happy birthday dude” said Glenn.  
“Thanks guys” said Max.  
“So what has my sister got planned for you today?” Maggie then asked.  
“Not sure actually” Max replied, looking over at Beth.  
“So did you like your present?” Maggie then asked and Max almost choked.  
“Huh?” he asked.  
“The comics, Beth wasn’t sure if you would like them” explained Maggie.  
“Oh the comics, yeah awesome present” said Max.  
“Well good, she was fretting all week about what to get you” she revealed.  
“She was?” Max asked.  
“Well you got her that charm bracelet and she was a little worried she wouldn’t be able to get you something as good” Maggie explained.  
Max now understood Beth’s worried look before and wanted to kick himself for not noticing what she was going through. Beth came up to the table and handed Max one of the bowls of tinned fruit she was holding.  
“Thanks babe” he said as she sat down.  
The two began eating and Maggie and Glenn left, giving them some privacy. Max squeezed Beth’s hand gently and gave her a smile  
“I love the comics Beth, you know that right?” he said.  
Beth didn’t say anything and Max continued on.  
“Any present from you I would love and being with you Beth is probably the best present a guy could ever receive” he said.  
It sounded corny and cheesy coming out of his mouth but Beth smiled lovingly at him and kissed him.  
“So you like the comics, how about the other present?” she asked, her eyes sparkling.  
“Oh I enjoyed the hell out of that” he assured and Beth giggled loudly.  
“Well well, what’s so funny over here?” asked Hershel as he walked over with his breakfast.  
He sat down at the table and Max could only grin while Beth blushed bright red.  
“Oh nothing daddy” Beth managed to say.  
“Hmm you and your private jokes” said Hershel with a smile.  
“We um were just talking about Max’s present” said Beth.  
“Well of course, happy birthday Max” said Hershel.  
“Thanks Hershel” said Max.  
The three of them ate their breakfast, chatting and then Max and Beth wandered outside into the warm morning sun.  
“So what first?” Beth asked.  
“Hmm thought you’d have something already planned” replied Max teasingly.  
“Maybe” she said cryptically.  
Max just raised an eyebrow and Beth giggled. Max was about to ask her just what she had planned when they both heard a horse neigh and turned to see Michonne prepping for a ride.  
“Heading out?” Max asked.  
“Yeah, gotta keep looking” said Michonne.  
Max thought it was pointless to keep going out and looking for a man who would never be found but Michonne seemed determined to find him.  
“Stay safe” Beth said to her.  
Michonne smiled and nodded before climbing on the horse and riding off.  
“Hope she’s ok out there” said Beth.  
“She’ll be fine” Max assured.  
Beth smiled and then the two of them were suddenly surrounded by a crowd of kids who all had excited smiles on their faces.  
“Happy birthday Max” they all shouted.  
“Hey thanks guys” said Max, laughing.  
“So um are we going to train today?” asked Mika hopefully.  
Max shot Beth a look and she just smiled.  
“Oh course we are, you all ready now?” Max asked.  
The all said yes and raced to the usual spot with Max and Beth following. They saw Patrick and Max assumed he would join like he normally did but he looked kinda queasy.  
“You ok Patrick ?” Beth asked, concerned.  
“Oh hi um I think so, just feeling little sick, think I might skip today’s lesson” he said  
“Yeah no worries mate, go get some rest” said Max, Patrick nodded and walked off.  
“Hope it’s nothing serious” said Beth.  
The kids had already begun stretching and Beth joined them. After stretching, they started with a run then completed some sets of push ups and sits up like usual.  
“Ok excellent everyone, that’s enough for today take a break” said Max.  
When the children were fully rested, they went off to start their other lessons, leaving Max and Beth alone again.  
But it wasn’t for long though as Rick, Daryl and Tyreese walked up to them.  
“Hey Max mind if we borrow you?” asked Rick  
Max looked at Beth and she nodded.  
“Go ahead I’ve got things to take care of anyway” she said.  
Beth gave him a kiss on the cheek and walked off inside.  
“What’s up guys?” he asked.  
“Hershel wants to extend the garden and build some more plant boxes” Rick explained.  
“No worries, sounds good” said Max.  
“Oh and happy birthday by the way” said Rick with a grin.  
“How old are now, sixty five?” Daryl asked jokingly.  
“Eighty six actually, thinking about getting a rocking chair” Max replied and they all laughed.  
Max and the others then grabbed tools and some lengths of timber they had brought back from a previous run and headed to the garden.  
A few hours later Max and Daryl had had built several boxes and filled them with dirt while Rick and Tyreese had dug up the sections of ground they had lay out.  
Hershel wandered over, looking impressed and the guys downed tools, calling it a day. Max was sweaty now and decided to take a shower before he met up with Beth again.  
He grabbed his things and headed to the showers. After taking a refreshing shower and while returning to drop his shower gear off, he heard familiar singing wafting through the prison.  
He found Beth sitting on the bed in their cell with her keyboard across her lap. She stopped singing and smiled happily at him.  
“Hey gorgeous” he said.  
“Hey Mr birthday boy” she said.  
Max grinned and slipped onto the bed next her as she moved over to make space.  
“Hmm you smell good, did you take a shower?” she asked.  
“As a matter a fact I did” he replied.  
“Do I smell strawberries?” she asked with a grin.  
“Perhaps” he replied and she giggled loudly.  
“Thought you didn’t like the strawberry shampoo” Beth asked teasingly.  
“Haha, so miss Greene what are you going to play for me?” he asked, changing the subject.  
“Well Mr Knight what would like me to play?” she asked.  
“Surprise me” he replied.  
Beth just smiled and she began to play a soft love song. Max just watched her intently as her fingers played across the keys and loving the way she looked when she sang. She finished the song, saw him looking at her and blushed.  
“Liked it?” she asked  
“Yeah it was beautiful” he replied.  
“It’s one of my favourites” she said.  
“It was amazing Beth, you sing it so well” he said.  
“I used to sing it with my mum” she revealed.  
“Yeah?” he asked.  
“Yeah, it was one of her favourites as well, she could sing as well and we would sing for hours especially when I was auditioning for a play or practising for a talent show” she replied.  
“You were in talent shows?” Max asked and she nodded.  
“I was in a couple of county fair talent shows when I was younger” she replied.  
“Did you win?” Max asked  
“Once, I was eight and I sung a Mariah Carey song” she said.  
“That’s awesome”said Max and Beth grinned.  
“I was a really big fan of hers and I was really nervous but ended up wining” she said happily.  
“What about you, any talent shows?” she then asked.  
“Oh no, even if I had a talent I wouldn’t have the guts I was more of a shy kid” he replied.  
“You?, shy?” Beth asked, her eyes lighting up.  
“Well before I become a gun toting badarse you see today and my ‘brush with the law’, I was a shy kid, had a couple of good friends and just hung out and played Nintendo and Playstation” he said.  
“Yeah?” she said.  
“Yeah, no being on stage for me, I’ll leave that to you” he said with a grin and Beth just laughed.  
Max asked her to play another song and she happy obliged him, playing a classic rock and roll song.  
“Damm girl” said Max, impressed and she blushed.  
She put the keyboard away and snuggled into him, linking her hand into his.  
“So singer, model or actress?” she asked.  
“Huh?” Max asked.  
“If the world didn’t end, you think I’d be singer, model or actress?” she asked.  
“Why not all three?” Max replied.  
“Yeah? you think I could have pulled it off?” she asked.  
“Hell yeah, releasing albums, modelling for magazines and being the star of some hit tv show” said Max.  
“Now you’re just teasing me” she said and pushed him gently.  
“Nah I’m being serious, I could see you living in New York or LA, singing, acting and hanging out with the rich and famous” said Max.  
“Yeah well maybe I would need a handsome bodyguard to protect me” she said with a grin.  
They both laughed and Max imagined escorting a dressed up Beth as she walked down the red carpet for some movie première and fending of the paparazzi for her.  
“And then I would fall madly in love with you just like in that movie” she said.  
“The Bodyguard?” Max asked.  
“Yeah that’s the one” she said with a grin and Max laughed.  
“Hey you two lunch is almost ready” said Carol suddenly as she poked her head in.  
Beth jumped up and a bright, excited smile appeared on her face.  
“Ok thanks Carol” said Beth.  
She turned to Max and pulled him to his feet.  
“Come it’s time for lunch” she said.  
“Ok, ok I’m coming” he said.  
Max followed her as she pulled him excitedly into the mess. Lunch was the usual affair but Max found out why Beth was so excited when she disappeared with Carol and returned with several containers of chocolate cupcakes.  
“Oh shit no way” he said with grin as Beth placed one of the containers in front of him and Carol began handing the other cupcakes out.  
The cupcakes had no icing and were more like little muffins but Max didn’t care, they looked amazing.  
“Happy birthday” everyone shouted.  
“Cupcakes huh?” Max said to Beth.  
“Yeah I’ve wanted to make you cupcakes for so long now and when Carol made me that birthday cake I knew might have the chance to make some for your birthday” she said.  
“Well it’s an awesome surprise” said Max, taking a bite.  
“Good?” she asked.  
“Yeah real good” he replied and she grinned happily.  
Max ended up eating several and Beth put the rest away for later.  
“So what now?” Max asked her when she returned  
“Don’t know what do you want to do?” she asked in reply.  
“How bout get in some target practice?” Max suggested.  
Beth nodded in agreement and the two of them headed to the armoury.  
“Alright we’ll continue on from yesterday” said Max once they were inside the room  
He selected the couple of assault rifles that Beth had been practising with for the last couple of days, grabbed full mags for the rifles and then he and Beth went to the firing range.  
Max lay out the rifles on the table, they put on their ear muffs and then Beth picked up the first one rifle, an M16. Max gave her an impressed smile as she quickly slammed in the correct mag and pulled the charging handle.  
She was still a little nervous firing the larger calibre weapon though and Max stepped behind her to show her how to hold it properly again.  
Beth gave him a little smile and pressed herself back into him, rubbing her butt against his crotch.  
“Hey now, thought we were going to practice” Max said with a grin.  
“We are” she said.  
Max just chuckled and stepped away, motioning for her to begin. She started firing off rounds and Max couldn’t help being amazed, she looked like a total badarse holding the rifle and found her incredibly sexy.  
After finishing off the clip in the M16 she moved onto the rugged AK-47 and then Max’s own rifle, his very dependable FN scar.  
“You trust me with this?” she asked teasingly as she picked it up.  
“Only you” Max replied and Beth just grinned.  
After she had practised with all the weapons they had brought, they finished up and put the rifles away back in the armoury.  
Max and Beth both had other duties to attend to and they reluctantly parted ways.  
The rest of the day went by swiftly and soon Max was sitting down for dinner. A hearty venison stew was served up and everyone tucked in to eat.  
“So have a nice birthday Max?” Maggie asked.  
“Yeah it was pretty great actually” he answered.  
Dinner was soon finished off and cleared away. Hershel excused himself and others around the room began to drift out of the room as well.  
Max was about to ask Beth what she wanted to do when Daryl, Rick, Tyreese, and Bob sat down at the table. Tyreese placed a bottle of bourbon on the table while Daryl produced a pack of cards.  
“Oh what’s this?” Max asked with a grin.  
“Can’t let a man celebrate his birthday without some poker” said Tyreese.  
Beth and Maggie got up, obviously not wanting part and Max threw Beth a look. She just smiled back and kissed him on the cheek.  
“You have fun with the boys but don’t drink too much, I still need you sober” she said cryptically.  
“Yes mam” promised Max.  
“That girl has you wrapped tightly around her little finger” said Tyreese when the girls had left the room.  
“Yes she does” Max agreed.  
They all laughed and Glenn began dealing while Tyreese poured out the bourbon.  
“So what does she need you sober for?” asked Glenn.  
Max and the others exchanged looks while Glenn just looked confused.  
“What?” Glenn asked.  
“Really?, what do you think she wants him sober for?” asked Daryl.  
Realisation filled Glenn’s eyes and his face burned red.  
“Hey that’s my sister in law you are talking about” said Glenn indignantly, drawing more laughter.  
Max and the boys began playing, enjoying the bourbon and joking and exchanging good natured insults.  
Max had learned to read people over his military career and used that to his advantage. Rick and Daryl were good though and had pretty decent poker faces. Tyreese was not bad either but Glenn and Bob were terrible, always giving away if they had been dealt a good or bad hand.  
Max managed to win a couple of rounds and as they were dealing out for yet another round, Karen walked into the room.  
“Well hello beautiful” said Tyreese with a smile.  
“Sorry hate to break up the party but I’ve been told that the birthday boy is required” said Karen  
The guys all exchanged looks and bob let out a low whistle.  
“Well guys, looks like duty calls” said Max with a grin, putting his cards down.  
“She’s up in the warden’s office” said Karen.  
Max nodded, downed the last of his drink, thanked the boys for a great evening and walked from the mess.  
Max shook himself as he headed into the admin wing of the prison, he wasn’t drunk but he was definitely a little buzzed. He reached the wardens office and knocked on the door, feeling major deja vu.  
“Beth?” he called.  
“Come in” she said.  
He opened the door and the sense of deja vu intensified. Beth was lighting a candle and wearing the same blue satin and lace lingerie dress just like the first night they were together.  
“Hi there” she said seductively.  
“Hey” he said.  
“Why don’t you come take a seat” she said, patting the armchair she was standing next to.  
Max grinned and walked over to sit in the chair. Beth sat down in his lap and wrapped her arms around him, giving him a kiss.  
“Good poker game?” she asked.  
“Yeah not bad” he replied with smile.  
“Did you win?” she asked  
“Yeah I did” he said with a grin  
“Well you’re about to win again” she whispered seductively.  
She slipped off his lap and stood up in front of him. Max began to get up as well but she pushed him back into the chair.  
“You stay there” she ordered.  
Beth began to sway her hips and starting to do a striptease, slowly pulling the dress off her body. She dropped it to the floor and Max sucked in his breath as she continued to strut in front of him in just her little matching bra and panties.  
“Enjoying the show?” she asked.  
“Oh most definitely” he said.  
He reached out to touch her but she swatted his hand away.  
“Not yet mister” she said,  
Max just grinned and she giggled. She then unhooked her bra and let it drop to the floor as well. She cupped her now naked breasts and smiled at him.  
“Oh shit Beth” he whispered.  
Max’s mouth was dry, he desperately wanted to put his hands on her and the anticipation was killing him.  
Beth then hooked her fingers into the waistband of her tiny g string panties and began teasing him with little flashes of her pussy.  
“Like what you see?” she asked  
“Oh I do indeed” he assured.  
She giggled and then wiggled her hips, letting her panties slide down her legs. She stepped out of them, kicking them away.  
Beth stood before him in all her glorious nakedness and smiled lustfully at him before kneeling in between his legs, running her hands up his thighs to undo his belt and fly. She pulled his cock from his pants and smiled up at him.  
“Does the birthday boy want me to suck his big cock?” she asked as she began to stroke him.  
“Oh hell yes he does”  
Beth began running her tongue up and down his length and then wrapped her beautiful lips around him.  
“Oh god Beth so good” he groaned as she began to suck  
Beth just smiled and continued suck hungrily, getting as much of his cock in her mouth as she could. Max groaned in pleasure and he could see her free hand busy between her legs.  
“Getting your self nice and wet Beth?” he asked.  
“So wet” she replied lustfully.  
Max now needed to find out just how wet she was. He sat up, grabbed her around the waist and switched places with her, tossing her into the armchair. Beth squealed with delight and spread her beautiful long legs, draping them over the armrests.  
Max knelt down in front of her and smiled at her glistening pink pussy. Beth was trembling with excitement and Max gently blew air over her pussy.  
“Oh Max” she gasped.  
“Like that don’t you?” he asked.  
“Oh yes so much, more please I need more” she whispered.  
Max happy obliged her and flicked his tongue across her clit, grinning at the taste dripping from her. He forced his tongue inside her and she let out another loud moan.  
“Oh god Max oh you do that so good” Beth moaned.  
Max continued to lick and suck Beth’s divine tasting pussy, lapping up the juices flowing from her as she moaned her appreciation. He then slid two fingers into her and she started to moan louder.  
“Oh Max, oh I’m going to cum, please don’t stop” she begged.  
Beth’s body began to shake and she arched her back. Max thrust his fingers faster, twisting as he did and she screamed out an orgasm. Beth flopped back onto the armchair and gave Max an extremely satisfied smile as her body continued to tremble.  
“Put your cock in me” she whispered  
Max stood up with his cock in hand, more than ready to slide it deep inside her and Beth’s eyes sparkled.  
“Wait I want to be on top” she said with a smile.  
Max wasn’t even going to argue and she stood up, pushing him back into the chair. Beth straddled him, held his cock in her hand and lowered herself down onto him, both moaning as he slid into her.  
“Oh you feel so good inside me Max” she moaned as he filled her completely.  
“Yeah?” he asked, pretending like it was the first time he had heard this.  
“It’s like your cock made to fit perfectly in me” she replied.  
“Baby my cock was made just for your pussy” Max growled.  
Beth began slide up and down his and Max let out a loud groan as her pussy tightly gripped him. He cupped her arse in his hands, squeezing it hard and Max groaned with absolute pleasure as his beautiful petite goddess bounced up and down on his cock.  
“Oh Max oh yes oh my god oh I’m going to cum so hard” she wailed.  
Her breaths became more rapid and her moans more louder. Her pussy spasmed and clamped around him impossible tight and her orgasm exploded through her. Beth collapsed against him and Max took over thrusting into her. He was so close too, feeling his balls about to burst.  
“Gonna cum soon Beth, gotta get off” he warned.  
“Cum in me” she moaned and Max looked at her with surprise  
“What?, you sure?” he asked.  
“Yeah I’m safe, I want to feel you finish inside me” she replied.  
Max didn’t need to be told twice, even if she wasn’t safe and he got her pregnant, he didn’t care at that point. The image of a pregnant Beth carrying his child sent sent him over the edge and he burst, flooding her with his warm seed.  
“Oh Max” she moaned  
She lay against him as they caught their breaths, letting Max’s cock wilt inside her.  
“Fuck you are amazing Beth, I love you so much” he whispered in her ear.  
“Oh Max I love you too” she whispered back.  
She sat up and his softening cock slipped from her with a wet pop. Beth let out a little giggle as his cum dripped from her and then stood up, wobbling as she did.  
“Whoa easy there” said Max with grin.  
Beth just smiled and then stumbled over to the large wooden desk in the room. She reached into the bag on it and pulled a packet of baby wipes.  
“Come prepared did we?” asked Max.  
“Of course” she answered.  
They cleaned each other off and then gathered up their clothes. Beth pulled her normal clothes from the bag and they both they redressed, blew out the candles and then walked hand in hand back to their cell. Once there they quickly undressed again, collapsed on the bed and fell into a deep sleep.  
Max woke and smiled down at the still sleeping Beth. He gave her a soft kiss on the neck and she stirred, smiling.  
“Morning” she said, stretching.  
“Morning beautiful” he said with a grin.  
“What time is it?” she asked.  
“Still early” he replied, looking at his watch.  
“Hmm good” she murmured, snuggling into him.  
“So last night was something else” said Max and Beth smiled.  
“Yeah it was, never given a strip tease before” she said.  
“Well it was the best strip tease I’ve ever gotten” he said.  
“Oh you’ve had one before?” she asked.  
“No comment” said Max and Beth giggled softly.  
They lay together in bed for a bit then decided to get up. There was no one in the mess as it was still early and no one seemed to be up yet.  
Max and Beth had a quick breakfast and then wandered out into the morning sun.  
“Gonna be another hot day” said Beth.  
“Yes it will” Max agreed.  
It was going to be another hot day and Max could sense a strange stillness in the air. He began feeling a strange sensation that something wasn’t quite right and was the same feeling he used to get right before a big mission.  
“What’s wrong?” Beth asked, giving him a smile and brushing his arm.  
Max was about to answer when a gunshot rang out, followed by another. Max spun at the sounds, searching for their origin and the door to D block burst open with Mika and Lizzie running through screaming for help.  
“What’s going on girls?” Beth yelled.  
“There’s walkers inside” yelled Lizzie.  
“What?, were? Max asked.  
“In the cell block” Mika answered.  
Max sprung into action and jumped into the back of the Bushmaster which was nearby, grabbing a pistol and an assault rifle from the vehicle’s weapon rack.  
“Stay here” he ordered Beth and the girls.  
“I’m coming with you” said Beth.  
“No stay here, keep them safe” he said firmly.  
Max tossed the pistol to Beth, readied the M4 carbine in his hands and raced into D block. He found it in chaos, people were yelling, screaming and fighting off walkers. Another shotgun blast rang out and Max saw the wielder forced to the ground by two walkers who promptly began feasting on him.  
Max quickly snapped up his rifle and fired on the closest walker, dropping it. Max aimed at the two feeding and put them down too. He swung to the next target and a crossbow bolt sailed passed him and plunged into the walkers eye socket. Daryl appeared next to Max, quickly reloading his crossbow.  
“What happened, we get a breach?” Daryl asked, killing another walker.  
“Don’t know” Max said back, firing on another.  
Rick, Sasha, Maggie and several others burst into the room and began assisting. A walker lunged at one of the young girls but Daryl grabbed her in time and Max put a bullet through its head. There were more walkers up on the second level and Max quickly rushed up the stairs. He was suddenly grabbed from one of the cells and a snarling Charlie with blood dripping eyes grappled at Max’s arm.  
“Ahh shit” yelled Max.  
Daryl quickly ran up, stabbing Charlie through the eye and Max pulled himself away  
“Thanks” said Max and Daryl nodded.  
The group quickly got the situation under control and the last remaining walker was put down. With no more gunfire filling the room, it was quickly replaced by cries and moans of pain. Hershel and Carol appeared and Max saw a devastated look on Hershel face as he walked around looking at the bodies.  
“What happened here Max?” he asked.  
“Heard gunshots and screams, Lizzie and Mika said there were walkers inside and ran into find this" Max answered.  
“They are are all our people” said Rick.  
“And there’s been no breach, everything is secure” said Sasha.  
“No one has been outside the fence in days, so nobody could have been bitten or scratched” said Daryl.  
“So what happened then?” asked Glenn.  
“It was Patrick” said a voice.  
They all turned as Dr S.came down the stairs.  
“Patrick?” Hershel asked.  
“He turned during the night” he explained.  
Dr S. led then them backup to where Patrick lay slumped in one of the cells.  
“There are no bites or wounds” said Hershel as he examined Patrick’s body.  
“So he just died?” Max asked.  
“And horribly, pleurisy aspiration, choked to death on his own blood” explained Dr S.  
“He was fine yesterday” said Sasha.  
“He did say he was feeling sick” said Max.  
“I’ve seen this before” said Rick, pointing to Patrick’s eyes and the blood trails down his face.  
“They're from the internal lung pressure building up, like if you shake a soda can and pop the top, only imagine your eyes, ears, nose, and throat are the top” said Dr S.  
“Saw a walker with the same bleeding eyes the other day” said Rick.  
“You saying this is a sickness from the walkers?” Sasha asked.  
“No, these things happened before they were around” said Hershel.  
“Could be pneumococcal, most likely an aggressive flu strain” said Dr S.  
“Are you saying you get this and few hours you’re dead?” said Glenn.  
“So what do we do?” asked Maggie.  
“We keep those those showing signs of infection separated from the rest of the group, the young and old will be most at risk” said Hershel  
“Just quarantine them?” Sasha asked.  
“We are going to need medicine, antibiotics and antivirals” said Dr S.  
“I’ll go check what we have” said Maggie.  
“I already know what we have and we need stronger medicine to fight this” said Dr S.  
“We've been through every pharmacy nearby” said Sasha.  
“And then some” said Daryl.  
“There is a veterinary college at West Peachtree Tech, that's one place people may not have thought to raid for medication” said Hershel.  
“A veterinary college?” Max asked.  
“Yes the drugs for animals there are the same we need” replied Hershel.  
“Alright I’ll take I team out today” said Max.  
“It’s a risk Max the college is about fifty miles from here and you could already be infected” said Sasha  
“It is a risk but someone has to do it” he said  
“Very well Max get a team together” said Hershel.  
“Will do” Max promised.  
With a plan in motion, they assessed the damage and counted the causalities. They had lost ten people, three were dying from untreatable walker bites including Lizzie and Mika’s father and several others were already showing signs of the flu.  
“Max we need to find medicine for this and soon” said Hershel they crouched by the dead body of a blonde woman whose name Max couldn’t remember.  
“I’ll get a team together now” said Max.  
“I’ll go with you, I know where everything is kept” said Hershel and Max raised an eyebrow.  
“No offence Hershel, but I think you would better off here and besides when we're out there, it's always the same, sooner or later we run” said Max.  
“I’ll draw you a map” said Hershel.  
“Ok sounds good” said Max.  
Max left hershel and the others to tend to the wounded and walked back outside. He saw Beth where he had left her with Lizzie and Mika and Beth rushed up to him.  
“Beth wait, stay back” he warned and she looked at him confused.  
“What?, what happened in there?” she asked.  
Max told her everything and Beth just listened, fear filling her eyes.  
“Are we all sick?” Mika asked fearfully and Max didn’t have an answer for her.  
“So you need to go find medicine?” Beth asked.  
“Yeah” he replied.  
Maggie, Daryl and Bob then walked up to them and Max gathered he had found his run team.  
“We should get going Max” said Maggie.  
“You’re going now?” Beth asked.  
“Yeah we probably should” Max replied.  
“I’m coming too” said Beth.  
“No” said Max and Maggie together and an angry look appeared Beth’s face.  
“Why not?” she snapped.  
“Beth I’m sorry but you have to stay here” said Maggie.  
“Max?” said Beth, turning to him.  
“Beth it’s going to be dangerous out there, I need you to stay here and keep the others safe” he said gently.  
“But I can help out there” she said stubbornly.  
“I know you can, nobody is doubting that but I really need you to stay here” he explained.  
“And I need you to watch over daddy” said Maggie.  
A range of emotions filled Beth’s face and looked like she wanted to argue more but then she nodded.  
“Ok fine” she said.  
Max and Maggie walked back inside to retrieve their gear and Beth went with them. After gearing up with his weapons in the armoury, Max grabbed Beth’s pistol and her smg.  
“You keep these on you ok and I want to put down anybody that turns, don’t hesitate, even if it’s your father” he said to her.  
Max attached a carry strap to the UMP and handed it and her pistol to Beth. She took them reluctantly, slung the smg over her back and snapped the holstered pistol to her thigh.  
Max then grabbed his vest, making sure the pouches were filled and headed back outside. Maggie and the guys were waiting by the Bushmaster and so was Hershel. He handed Max a map of the college and a list of drugs, Max looked it over and then handed it Bob the list who nodded, recognising the names.  
“Ok let’s go” said Max.  
The small run group all climbed into the Bushmaster, only needing one vehicle. Beth stopped Max before he climbed in, just like she always did.  
“You just be careful ok” she whispered.  
“You too, remember what I said” said Max.  
“I won’t hesitate I promise” she assured.  
Max nodded and then climbed into the drivers seat, closing the door behind him. He fired up the engine and drove out through the gates as Rick and Carl opened them.  
No one talked much as they drove and Max pressed his foot down on the gas a little more than necessary.  
“How far away are we now?” asked Maggie when they were a little ways down the road.  
Daryl sitting in the passenger seat open up the map lying on the dash and showed her.  
Max looked as well, they were making great time. As he turned back to the road, he swore loudly and jammed on the brakes. The road in front of them was packed with walkers, hundreds and hundreds of them, stretching as far as he could see.  
“Oh god, can we make it through?” Maggie asked.  
“No sure, not going to risk it though” said Max.  
The Bushmaster was big and heavy enough to plough through them but with the herd of walkers so many and thick, there was a good chance the vehicle could get bogged in the bodies.  
“We’ll have to go around” said Daryl.  
Max threw the Bushmaster into reverse as the walkers began stumbling after them. Max quickly turned around and stepped on the gas, trying to leave the walkers far behind them.  
Daryl quickly plotted another route, it would take much longer but hopefully it would take them around the walkers.  
The route they took was walker and danger free but they soon came across another problem. A bridge they needed cross was almost impassable due to an overturned truck and several crashed vehicles. They wasted several precious hours making a path big enough for the Bushmaster and continued on. By the time they reached the veterinary college, it was late afternoon and close to sunset.  
The campus was just another abandoned set of slowly decaying buildings and Max looked around cautiously as they stepped out from the Bushmaster.  
“Ok lets make this quick, we get in and get out” said Max.  
Hershel had marked on his little map that the drugs they needed would be in the operating rooms and labs and they began following the signs .  
The campus grounds were deserted except for a few walkers stumbling about. They found the building they were looking for but the thick metal doors were locked tight. Max peered through the small windows in the doors and could see tents and bedding on the floor inside.  
“People have been staying here” he said and the others looked around warily.  
They circled around the building and found another door. It too was locked but it was a smaller and made of wood.  
“Ok this is going to be loud, everyone stay sharp” Max warned.  
Max unslung the small combat shotgun he was carrying on his back and quickly shot out the hinges on the door. He kicked the door in and it fell to the floor with a loud bang. Max and the others entered the building with weapons up, if there was any body alive or dead inside they certainly would know they had visitors.  
They carefully walked out to where they had seen the tents and bedding, expecting an attack at any moment but none came.  
“Where now?” Maggie asked.  
“Up” said Daryl, pointing to a sign.  
They climbed the stairs to the first floor and made their way to the labs and operating rooms. Max and the others entered the first set of labs and found locked medicine cabinets all still stocked. They quickly broke into the cabinets and began going through the vials and bottles.  
“Ok grab anything ending in ‘cillin’” said Bob.  
They did so, grabbing every bottle and vial they could find. When they had gotten everything they could find, Max and the others went through all the operating rooms, grabbing what they could find there as well plus syringes, bandages and other important medical items.  
“Alright lets get back” suggested Max.  
The others agreed and headed back to the stairs. As they were nearing them, Max looked over the balcony to the ground floor and then ducked back out of sight before the large crowd of walkers that were now stumbling about saw him.  
“What is it?” Maggie whispered.  
“We got company” he whispered back.  
“Walkers?” Daryl asked.  
“Yeah a lot of them and they’re blocking off our exit” Max replied.  
“How many is a lot?” Maggie asked.  
“Too many to deal with” Max answered.  
They all took turns peeking over and agreed with Max’s assessment.  
“We should find another way out’” Maggie suggested and Max agreed.  
They began creeping away from the stairs, looking for another way out. They soon came to a closed door at the end of the hallway and Daryl and Bob began to bust it open. As they did Max heard scratching and threw up his hand.  
“Wait” said Max.  
But it was too late and the small group of walkers behind the door pushed through. Surprised, Max and the others had no choice but to open fire, swiftly taking them out.  
With the walkers taken care of they made their way into the room the walkers had come from, finding more sleeping bags and bedding on the floor. They came to a large window that opened onto a ledge and the courtyard below.  
“Alright looks like a good as exit as any, watch your eyes” said Max.  
He smashed the window open and they all climbed out onto the ledge. They quickly dropped down to the grass beneath and began heading back to where they had left the Bushmaster.  
As they reached the car park, Max groaned as he saw there were now a large group of walkers between them and the Bushmaster.  
“Shit, just keep going” Max yelled.  
They ran, dodging and taking out walkers as they did. They reached the Bushmaster and quickly piled inside with Max and Daryl kicking at walkers to slam the back door shut.  
“Ok let’s get out of here” said Maggie  
Max climbed into the drivers seat and fired up the engine. The crowd of walkers that had surrounded them was thick but not enough to impede the vehicle. Max jammed on the gas and the Bushmaster shot forward, crushing the walkers in front. They quickly got free of the walkers and sped off.  
“Everyone alright?” Max asked, looking back.  
“Yeah all good” said Daryl.  
Max stepped on the gas and could only think of Beth, hoping she was ok. Night quickly fell and Max switched on the vehicles night vision cameras, not wanting draw any unnecessary attention from the headlights. He flipped down the monitor from the roof and focused on the bright green world it displayed. No one talked in the darkened vehicle as it they sped home and were mostly likely thinking about everyone back at the prison.  
They made it back without any trouble but as they came to the prison gates, Max’s blood ran cold. A massive herd of walkers was pressing up against a portion of the fence and Max could see it giving way.  
“Oh my god” said Maggie.  
They heard gunfire and Max spotted the figures of Rick, Carl and Tyreese trying to prevent the walkers from bringing down the fence. Daryl and Bob jumped out, quickly slipping through the gap in the fence the group sometimes used and opened up the gate. Max drove inside and screeched to a halt. He and Maggie jumped out to help Rick and the others when Rick motioned to keep going.  
“You get the stuff?” he yelled.  
“Yeah” Max replied.  
“Go help save the others we got this” said Rick.  
Daryl and Bob ran over to help so Max and Maggie grabbed all the bags of the medicine they had collected and they raced inside the darkened prison.  
Max heard rapid gunfire and sprinted towards it. He found D block once again in chaos, bodies littered the ground and walkers snarled, reaching out from the cells they were locked into. He also saw others still alive, locked into their cells for safety and saw the frightened face of Lizzie.  
“Beth” Max yelled.  
He heard a scream and looked up to see Beth and Hershel pinned on the second level as several walkers advanced on them…


	66. Chapter 66

Beth couldn’t believe what was happening as she watched Max, Maggie and the others drive off. The day before had been so great, Max had enjoyed his birthday just like Beth wanted and the sex that night had been more than magical.  
Now almost a dozen people were dead, others were hurt and dying and everyone was in danger. Beth turned to her father who was standing next to her and gave him a worried look.  
“Daddy what do we do now?” she asked.  
“Bethie I need you get Judith and keep her safe, she is the most vulnerable” he replied.  
“Ok” said Beth.  
“The other children are just as at risk as well, Carol has already taken them up to the library, I want you to take Judith and stay there until it’s safe to come out” he said.  
“What about you?” Beth asked  
“I need to help the others” he said simply.  
They parted ways and Beth walked back into the cell block to collect Judith. Beth heard crying and found Judith sitting alone in her crib, very upset with no one to comfort her.  
“Shh, there, there, it’s ok, you’re ok” said Beth soothingly as she picked the girl up.  
Judith stopped crying and Beth then gathered up some of Judith’s things in a bag before taking her to the library.  
Beth walked into the room and found Carol and Karen with the children. Some of the children looked up at her with scared expression on their faces and Beth couldn’t blame them for being frightened after what they had just experienced.  
“Hi Beth” said Carol.  
Beth walked over to her and she noticed Carol’s eyes flash to the pistol on Beth’s hip and the smg slung over her back.  
“Daddy said to bring Judith up here” said Beth.  
“Yes we need to keep the kids separate for their safety” said Carol, taking Judith from her.  
“Um what do you need me to do?” Beth asked, putting Judith’s bag down.  
“I think we have everything covered, we just need to keep them calm and occupied” said Carol simply.  
Beth nodded and walked over to the table where some of the kids were drawing.  
“H-hi Beth” said Mika.  
Mika looked devastated but Lizzie just had a blank expression on her face.  
“You two alright?” Beth asked them as gently as she could.  
Mika nodded, her eyes brimming with tears and Lizzie just continued to stare blankly.  
“I’m very sorry about your dad girls” Beth said to them.  
Beth wanted to give the girls a hug but she couldn’t risk it and just gave them a reassuring look. She then walked back over to Carol, who was now feeding Judith.  
“Who else did we lose?” Beth asked Carol softly.  
Carol looked around the room and then gave Beth a solemn look.  
“We lost a lot of people Beth” she answered.  
She didn’t give any names, Beth understood and didn’t push the subject any further. Carol handed Judith back to Beth so she and Karen could organised food for the other kids.  
Beth picked up Judith’s bag and walked over to one of the couches. She placed Judith down on the couch and then unslung her smg, putting it down out of reach of the girl before sitting next to her.  
“Ok Judy, duck or cat?” Beth asked pulling out some of Judith’s stuffed animals from her bag.  
Judith made a happy gurgling sound and reached out for the duck.  
“Duck it is” said Beth.  
Beth felt a little envious of the girl, being completely oblivious of the events of what was happening around her as she played with her stuffed toy but Beth was just happy the girl could be blissfully unaware.  
While she kept a close eye on Judith, Beth picked out a book to read and then settled back onto the couch. She tried to read as she watched over Judith but couldn’t help thinking about Max and Maggie out there and hoped they returned safely. She also began to worry about her father, putting himself at risk helping the sick members of the group.  
“How are you holding up Beth?” asked Karen as she came by.  
“I’m ok, just can’t help being a little worried about everyone” Beth replied.  
Karen sat beside Beth and gave her a warm, reassuring smile.  
“Worried about Max?” she asked.  
“Yeah and Maggie and my dad” Beth replied.  
“Your boyfriend is a very capable man Beth, I’m sure he, Maggie and the others will just fine and your father is going to be ok as well” said Karen.  
Beth smiled and then realised she was being selfish just worrying about just her family.  
“How is Tyreese, you worried about him too?” Beth asked and Karen’s smile dimmed a little.  
“A little, he was ok this morning, just hope he still is” she answered.  
Beth smiled again and assured Karen that Tyreese would still be fine. Karen agreed and then left Beth to her book.  
Beth actually managed to get into the book, only stopping to play with Judith and eat when Carol brought her some food.  
It was late afternoon when a cough pulled her from her reading and Beth and everyone else looked at Lizzie as she coughed again.  
“Ok Lizzie we better take you to see Hershel and Dr S.” said Carol.  
“No I’m ok” Lizzie pleaded  
“Sorry Lizzie, we need to get you checked out” said Carol firmly.  
Lizzie looked around fearfully, she looked terrified about leaving the others but she got up from her seat.  
“I’ll take her” said Beth.  
Carol and Karen turned to look at her, giving her concerned looks but then Carol nodded in agreement. After making sure Judith was being taken care of, Beth slung her smg back over her shoulder and indicated for Lizzie to follow her.  
Mika gave her sister a quick hug and then Lizzie walked out of the room with Beth. The two girls didn’t talk as they made their way to D block, where Beth’s father and Dr S had set up the quarantine area and Beth couldn’t help trembling as she entered the cell block.  
It felt like a tomb, death filled the air and only the sound of coughing, groans and sobbing could be heard.  
“Bethie what are you doing here?” asked her father, walking up to them.  
“Lizzie is sick” Beth explained.  
He examined Lizzie then put her in a cell with Sasha, who tried to make the girl comfortable.  
“Beth you should get back to the others” Beth’s father suggested to her.  
Beth looked around, she couldn’t see Dr S and it seemed her father was the only one tending to everyone. She really wanted to flee the room but she forced down her fears and took a deep breath.  
“Daddy you need help here” said Beth.  
Her father looked like he was going to argue but then he nodded.  
“Ok put these on” he said.  
He handed Beth a thin surgical mask and and some gloves. Beth quickly put them on and readied herself to help.  
“What do you need me to do?” she asked.  
“Just keep everyone calm and make sure they keep hydrated” he replied.  
Beth nodded, she walked over to a table, picking up one of the water containers on it and a stack of paper cups. She approached the first cell, it’s occupant was a middle aged woman who was the mother of one of the children.  
“Hi Mrs Tanner” said Beth.  
“Oh hi Beth, is my Luke safe?” the older woman asked worriedly.  
“Yes he is ok, he is still with Carol and the other children” Beth assured.  
“Oh good” she said.  
Mrs Tanner then coughed a couple of times and then gave Beth a sad look.  
“I have it” she whispered.  
Beth didn’t know what to say and poured her a cup of water. The woman took the cup and gave her a weak smile of thanks. Beth left Mrs Tanner and moved on to help others.  
She walked into the next cell and found Dr S, he looked up at her and Beth froze as she saw his bloodshot eyes, now understanding why he wasn’t helping her father.  
“Oh um hi Dr S. would you like some water?” Beth asked timidly  
The doctor nodded and and Beth poured him a cup. He took the cup and took a painful looking sip.  
“Thanks Beth” he said raspily.  
“You ok?, do you want me to get my dad?” Beth asked.  
“No I’m fine Beth” he lied.  
“Ok” said Beth.  
“Beth, just make sure you keep that mask on” he then said.  
Beth promised she would and moved onto to the next cell, owned by David. Beth could see he was in terrible shape and his eyes were worse than Dr S’s.  
“Mr Brandon are you ok?” Beth asked cautiously from the door.  
The man stood up and began coughing uncontrollably, stumbling towards her. Beth stepped backwards but David grabbed her. He began convulsing, his hand gripped Beth’s arm in a death grip and pulled her to the floor with him.  
“Daddy” Beth screamed.  
She desperately tried to pull her arm away and grappled at her pistol. Her father rushed over and pulled Beth from David’s grasp. Beth got to a safe distance and drew her pistol as David continued to convulse.  
“Daddy get away from him” Beth said fearfully.  
“Bethie I need to try and save him, stay back” said her father.  
Beth didn’t move and continued to aim at David as her father tried to save his life.  
“Come on David” he huffed in frustration as he attempted CPR.  
It was useless though and David remained motionless.  
“Daddy get away from him” said Beth again.  
“Beth its alr..” began her father.  
Suddenly David reanimated and lurched up grabbing at Hershel. Beth reacted swiftly, firing her pistol and David slumped back to the floor.  
“Daddy are you ok?” Beth asked.  
“Yes Bethie, good shooting there” he said gratefully.  
Beth pulled her father to his feet and then helped him drag David’s body to a cell that already had another deceased body.  
“Daddy are we going to be ok?” she whispered, giving her father a worried look.  
Her father was about to say something when the door to the cell block opened and Rick came in with a coughing Glenn.  
“He started up like this on the way back” said Rick.  
Beth wondered what Rick meant by ‘on the way back’ but didn’t ask.  
“How bout you Rick?, feeling any symptoms?” asked Hershel.  
“No I’m all good but we have another problem” Rick replied.  
“What?” Hershel asked  
“We got a large number of walkers on the fence and they’re not spreading out” Rick answered.  
“Could the fence give way?” asked Beth worriedly.  
“It might” said Rick.  
Then without another word, Rick ran from the room to deal with the problem.  
“Is Maggie back yet?” Glenn moaned.  
“No not yet” Beth answered.  
This information seemed to distress Glenn more and Beth and her father tried to keep him calm as they helped him up the stairs and into one of the remaining free cells.  
“Beth will you get Glenn some water” her father asked.  
Beth nodded and went to do so but checked on Lizzie first, finding the girl sicker than she was before and more frightened.  
“You alright in there Lizzie?” Beth asked.  
Lizzie coughed and nodded but the fear in her eyes told a different story.  
“Everything is going to be ok Lizzie, I promise” said Beth, hoping Lizzie would believe her.  
The girl nodded and Beth left her to retrieve the container of water and cups she had dropped in the struggle with David. Beth returned to her father and Glenn and handed Glenn some water. He gulped it down and gave her a grateful smile.  
“What now daddy?” Beth asked.  
Beth’s father asked her help him to brew some more tea with the elderberries he had collected earlier in the day. Beth agreed to help but she wasn’t happy he had gone outside the fence until her father informed her Tyreese and Carl had helped him.  
Beth and her father set about brewing the tea on the small camping stove someone had brought and she wondered if it would do any good.  
“Is it going to help?” she asked.  
“Hopefully it should help with the fever” he replied.  
Beth nodded but wasn’t entirely convinced but helped him serve it out to everyone. People accepted the tea gratefully and Beth really did hope it helped. She also hoped for the hundredth time that day Max and the others would return safe with the real medicine.  
Night soon fell, Max had still had not retuned and Beth was becoming more worried. Several more of the group had died and many more were close to death. Beth and her father desperately tried their best but it was no use, there was nothing they could do without proper medicine.  
The situation soon got worse and worse and then everything seemed to happen at once. People began succumbing and turning left right and centre. Beth began slamming cell doors shut in an effort to trap walkers inside and to protect the few still alive but she wasn’t quick enough and several freshly turned walkers came at her.  
Beth quickly unslung her smg, flicked off the safety and began firing. The gunfire echoed loudly in the room and the bullets ripped into their targets.  
Beth managed to drop the loose walkers and then looked up to the upper walkway and saw her father struggling with the person he had just been desperately trying to save.  
“Daddy” she screamed.  
Glenn stumbled out and helped him take out the walker, almost collapsing from the effort.  
“Daddy are you ok?” Beth yelled.  
Walkers began stumbling out from the upper cells and Beth screamed as one of them grabbed her father. She raised her smg to fire but she couldn’t get a clear shot and raced up the stairs instead. More walkers stumbled from their cells grabbing at her, she let out a shriek but managed to dodge passed them, needing to save her father first.  
He and a weakened Glenn were struggling with a walker each and Beth quickly fired a burst and the walkers fell dead. She swiftly turned back to the ones behind her that she had managed to avoid and fired. She dropped the first one but then her weapon just clicked.  
Her smg was now empty, she dropped it and reached for her pistol. Before she could fire it though, the next walker grabbed her, sending the pistol flying from her hand and off the walkway.  
Beth screamed but suddenly a knife embedded in the walkers head, killing her. Beth’s father tried to pull his knife out but it was stuck and the other walkers continued on undaunted.  
They stumbled backwards, stalked by the former members of their group and just when Beth thought it was all over, a huge volley of gunfire then erupted and the walkers all fell motionless as they were ripped apart.  
“Beth, you ok?” called a voice.  
“Max?” she screamed.  
She looked over the railing and saw Max and Maggie, both holding weapons. Beth quickly stepped over the dead bodies and launched herself into Max’s arms as he ran up the stairs.  
“You alright?” he asked, his hands searching her body for bites and scratches.  
“I’m ok, I’m ok” she assured.  
Maggie ran up the stairs as well and gave Beth and their father look of relief.  
“You two alright?” she asked.  
“Yes dear we are now” said Hershel.  
Maggie nodded and then her face dropped as she saw Glenn.  
“Oh my god, Glenn” she whispered.  
“Maggie stay back I have it” warned Glenn.  
They then heard the faint sound of more gunfire and Max turned at the sound.  
“I gotta help the others” he said.  
“No Max” pleaded Beth.  
“Go Max, we’ve got it handled here but please if you can, send Bob in I’m going to need his help” said Hershel.  
Max nodded and Beth a reassuring look and then ran to assist the others. Beth, Maggie and their father then quickly began upended the bags Maggie and Max had brought on a table, spilling vials and bottles across the tabletop. Maggie began ripping open packets as Beth helped her father sort the medicine.  
They heard more muffled gunfire and Beth looked around fearfully. Bob appeared and rushed over to them.  
“Bob I need to you help here” said Hershel.  
Bob seemed to know what was needed of him and started grabbing vials.  
“What’s going on out there?, are the walkers coming through the fence?” Beth asked Bob.  
“Almost, yeah” he replied.  
Beth was extremely worried now and gave her father a pleading look.  
“Go Bethie” he said.  
“You sure?” she asked.  
“Yes go, we can manage” he assured.  
Beth retrieved her dropped pistol from the floor, slid it into her holster and ran from the room. She raced outside and her jaw dropped as she saw Max, Rick and the others firing on a huge number of walkers as they piled up against the fence  
Beth rushed over to Max as he fired bursts from his rifle and he stopped momentarily to look at her.  
“Get your pistol out” he ordered.  
Beth did so and began firing along side him. It seemed hopeless though, the walkers were a unstoppable, snarling wall and Beth quickly ran out of bullets.  
“It’s going to give way” yelled Tyreese.  
He was right, the fence was bending inwards and would collapse, taking the inner fence with it.  
“Beth get back” Max yelled  
“No I’m not leaving you” she yelled back.  
“We need to brace it” yelled Rick.  
Max then jumped into the Bushmaster and drove it up against the inner fence just the potion of outer fence the walkers were pushing up against gave way.  
With the heavy vehicle bracing the inner fence, the flood of walkers failed to take it out. It was only a temporary solution though as the Bushmaster was only propping up the fence around the vehicle and the entire outer fence was in danger of collapsing. Walkers began climbing over each over and spilled into the area between the two fences.  
Beth saw Max appear through the roof hatch and resumed firing down on the walkers. Rick, Daryl, and Tyreese continued firing as the walkers spread out along the inner fence.  
Beth jumped into the back of the Bushmaster and grabbed an assault rifle from the weapon rack. She slammed in a loaded mag and screamed out to Max. His head appeared through the hatch, she threw up her hand and Max reached down, quickly pulled her up.  
They then stood side by side, unleashing a rain of fire and lead down on the mass of walkers, as the did the others until only a few walkers remained moving.  
“That it?, did we get them all?” asked Carl.  
“Yes son, I think we did” said Rick.  
The danger appeared to be over, the mass of walkers were now motionless and the fences were still holding for the moment.  
Adrenaline was pumping through Beth and she was shaking. Max took the rifle from her and wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight.  
“Hey it’s ok Beth relax, its over” he soothed.  
Beth felt her heart beat slow and her breathing return to normal.  
“All good now?” he asked.  
“Yeah” she said.  
They climbed down from the bushmaster and inspected the damage to the fence. There was nothing they could do about the rest of the outer fence, it would hold for the night but would have to be dealt with in the morning.  
They did they best to strengthen the inner fence just in case and they all headed inside. The entire group gathered for a meeting. The drugs and medicine brought back had been given to those still alive and infected and Bob and Hershel began to inoculated everyone else just to be sure.  
Beth hated needles but gritted her teeth and allowed her father to inject her. She rubbed her arm and her father gave her a little smile.  
“This should keep you safe Bethie” he said softly.  
“Thanks daddy” she said back.  
The group decided to deal with the bodies in D block the morning and then moved those who slept in the cell block into other parts of the prison for the night, setting up beds for them.  
It was way past midnight now, everyone was exhausted and the entire group tried to get some sleep. Beth tucked herself tightly into Max as they settled in to the bunk. She closed her eyes but lay awake for a while and didn’t think she was ever going to be able to sleep. Her exhaustion won out though and she soon drifted off.  
She woke the the next morning and found she was alone. She panicked for second but then calmed herself, assuming Max had just let her sleep in.  
Beth stretched, got up and got dressed. She walked outside and saw Max and her father sitting in the early morning sun. She walked over to them and they gave her warm but tired smiles as she sat down with them.  
“Morning Bethie, did you sleep ok?” her father asked.  
“A little I guess” she admitted.  
She was about to ask him how he slept but the exhausted was etched on his face and Beth already knew his answer.  
Max then stood up, gave her a kiss and walked off to make her some breakfast. Beth smiled at him lovingly and then turned back to her father.  
“You did well last night Beth, I’m quite proud of you” he said.  
Beth just shrugged and gave him a little smile.  
“I mean it Beth, I’m very proud of the woman you have become” he said  
“I just did what I could daddy” Beth said modestly.  
“And you did it well, you have come such a long way from that girl on the farm and I know your mother would be proud of you as well” he said.  
“Yeah?” Beth asked and fiddled with her necklace.  
“Yes very proud” he assured and Beth smiled at her father.  
The two talked until Max returned with a bowl of breakfast for Beth and she accepted it gratefully  
“Have you eaten?” she asked him.  
“Yeah” he answered.  
“Did you sleep?” she asked  
“For a bit” he replied.  
Beth nodded and guessed Max probably spent the night watching the door with his pistol in easy reach. She quickly ate her breakfast and then looked at the two men she loved most in the world.  
“So what do we need to do first today?” she asked them.  
“We should probably start getting rid of the bodies” said her father.  
“Yeah I was thinking the same” said Max.  
“We need to burn them, like the others yesterday” said Hershel  
“Ok we’ll take them outside the fence, I’ll get a crew together” said Max.  
“Be careful handling the bodies they will still be highly contagious, take no chances”  
“Masks and gloves, don’t worry” Max assured.  
“What about me?, how can I help?” Beth asked.  
“Hmm how about you and I make sure the children are doing ok and make sure they get fed?” her father suggested.  
“Ok” said Beth.  
While Max organised a team to dispose of the bodies, Beth and her father walked back inside. The kids had spent the night in the library, sleeping in their makeshift beds with Carol and Karen watching over them. The kids were already waking up and Beth’s father gave them all a quick check up.  
They all then made their way to the mess and Carol and Karen started making breakfast for everyone. Maggie walked into the mess and Beth met her half way to give her a hug.  
“You ok Maggie?, how’s Glenn?” Beth asked.  
“Daddy gave him something to help him sleep but he is still sick ” Maggie replied.  
Beth just nodded, squeezed Maggie’s hand in support and she smiled in return. Rick then walked in with Carl and Judith, Rick looked tired like everyone else and had most likely stayed up watching over his children. Beth stood up and walked over to take Judith from him. Rick gave her a thankful look and went to make some breakfast for him and Carl.  
Beth retrieved Judith’s food and sat back down to feed her. Beth’s father examined Judith while Beth fed her and found her perfectly healthy.  
“Hmm Judith you are going to outlive us all” he said.  
Beth watched Judith until Carl came over to take turns looking after her and Beth walked back outside to see Max busy loading a body into the back of a pick up  
He and the other able men had spent a good part of the morning carrying the bodies from D block and loaded them into the back of a pick up and the trailer they had attached.  
“Alright that’s the last of them” said Tyreese as he and Daryl threw the body they were carrying onto the trailer.  
“Ok let’s get them out of here, we’ll burn them away from the prison” said Max.  
He, Daryl and Tyreese then climbed into the pick up. Max saw her and gave her a reassuring look.  
“Be back in a bit” he promised.  
“You better be” said Beth back.  
The drove off and out through the gates. Beth watched them until they disappeared from view and then saw her father, Maggie and Karen who were carrying mops, buckets and bottles of bleach.  
“Need help?” she asked.  
“Yes we could use a hand, we need to clean and disinfect D block” replied her father.  
Maggie handed her a bucket and Beth followed them to collect water. Once they had their water, they walked into D block. They paused before they walked into the cell block and put on masks and gloves, not wanting to take any risks.  
The four of them spent the next few hours mopping and cleaning up every bit of blood and fluids until the entire block smelt of bleach and disinfectant.  
“Ok girls lets get some air”  
Beth gave her father a relieved look and they all walked out into the sun, taking in breaths of fresh air. Beth noticed a plume of black smoke in the distance and guessed Max and the others had started burning the bodies.  
They had indeed and Beth then heard the sound of an engine, seeing Max’s pick up drive up to the gate. They were let through and drove up into the courtyard.  
“Any trouble?” Beth’s father asked.  
“Nah all good” said Daryl.  
Max walked up to Beth and she could see he was covered in soot and dirt, looking just as tired as she felt. He also had a troubled look on his face and Beth wondered what was worrying him.  
“What’s wrong?” she asked him.  
“Not sure, probably nothing but when we were out burning the bodies, I got the sense we were being watched” he replied.  
“Watched?, who would be watching us?” Beth asked, now concerned.  
“Not sure, it was just a feeling” he answered.  
Beth nodded, she wondered who might be watching them but put it to the back of her mind, it was just another thing to be worried about.  
She then held out her hand, Max took it with an intrigued look and she gave him a smile.  
“Come on let’s get cleaned up” she suggested.  
“Sounds good” he said.  
They both grabbed the shower things, some clean clothes and then walked to the shower room. The room was empty and Beth pulled him into one of the stalls. They both quickly undressed and hopped under the cool water. Beth grabbed the soap and began to wash the dirt from his body. He did the same to her and she let out a little sigh as he ran his hands over her breasts.  
“Oh Max” she whispered, biting her lip gently.  
Max then slipped his hand between her legs, Beth moaned softly as a wave of pleasure shot through her and she pressed herself against him in support as her knees weakened.  
She felt him harden against her back and turned in his arms to face him, she wanted him badly, wanted to feel more than just his fingers and she could see the same lust in his eyes.  
“I want you Max, I want you inside me now” she whispered.  
“Yes mam” he growled.  
Max reached to turn off the water and then picked her up, pressing her against the cold tile wall behind them. Beth let out a little gasp but wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. She felt his cock tease her entrance and then let out a moan as he entered her.  
“Oh yes, so good” she whispered as he filled her completely  
The world around them faded away as Max began to fuck her, Beth forgot all about the last twenty four hours and only cared about the feeling of Max’s lips on her skin, his breath on her neck and the feeling of him thrusting inside her.  
Beth’s impending orgasm built up and her moans of ecstasy grew louder, filling the room . The pleasure soon reached it’s peak and Beth’s body shook as she orgasmed.  
“Oh Max oh yes I’m cumming” she wailed.  
“Oh shit me too” Max moaned.  
She clung to him as her climax crested through her and let out another moan as she felt the warmth of Max’s cum flooding her pussy.  
“Thank you Max, I needed this” she whispered in his ear  
“I think we both needed it” said Max with a grin.  
He pulled from her and dropped her gently to the ground. Beth’s legs were a little wobbly and Max grinned at her as she held onto him for support  
They dried off, dressed in their clean clothes and walked back to their cell. Beth was exhausted now, exhausted but very happy. She lay down on the bed, Max lay next to her and they both fell fast asleep.  
Beth woke a few hours later finding Max still at her side. She stretched and yawned, waking Max up.  
She smiled happily at him and he smiled back.  
“Good nap?”he asked.  
“Yeah really good” she replied.  
Beth and Max got up and walked out into the late afternoon sun. They saw Rick, Carl, Bob, Tyreese and Daryl over by the damaged portion of the fence. They had already managed to remove the vast pile of dead walkers during the day and now were going about repairing the fence.  
Beth and Max lent a hand and after a few hours had the fence back up. The sun was setting as they finished up and the now diminished group gathered in the mess for dinner. A simple meal was served up and everyone ate hungrily. No one talked much and when everything had been cleared away, everyone headed off to bed.  
Beth and Max retired back to their cell as well, still needing to a good nights sleep. Beth tucked herself into Max as he wrapped his arm around her and smiled as he kissed her cheek.  
“All good Beth?” he asked.  
“Yeah” she whispered.  
It was the truth, all though they had lost a lot of people, Beth still had her family, she still had the man she loved and the group would recover like they always did.  
Beth soon drifted off to sleep in Max’s arms and just hoped nothing else would threaten their world…


End file.
